Type: Press

Decision by Oireachtas Sport Committee to examine gender disparity in sports overdue Labour Spokesperson on Sport, Senator Mark Wall has welcomed the announcement by the Chair of the Oireachtas Sport Committee that the committee will examine the funding disparity in sports funding. Senator Wall said that the Government must commit to implementing whatever recommendations the…

Robust testing and tracing system to tackle future cases needed. Detailed rollout plan for Covid-19 vaccine must be published. Inter-county travel up to 6th January welcome. With plans to relax the Level 5 lockdown confirmed for next week, Labour Party Leader and Health spokesperson Alan Kelly said there must now be a clear strategy outlined…

Rise of 81 with total of 8,739 people homeless, 2,642 children without a home in 1,117 families. Evictions are the primary cause of homelessness. Action also needed to address recent rise in deaths. With the homeless figures for October recording an increase of 81 people including 59 children, Labour Housing spokesperson Rebecca Moynihan has called…

Absolute commitment needed from Minister on Leaving Cert 2021 Labour Education Spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has said that the Department of Education need to deal with the issue of over-assessment of 6th year students and to make an absolute commitment that Leaving Cert 2021 will take place. Deputy Ó Ríordáin said: “The Leaving Certificate class…

Over 1,000 jobs at risk with rise in RES threshold from 0 to €75. Government sneak in damaging change through amendment to Brexit bill. Labour’s Finance spokesperson Ged Nash TD has said that over 1,000 jobs in the tourism retail trade could be lost arising from a government amendment to the Brexit Omnibus Bill that…

Labour calls for reinstatement of €3million for a Local Area Discretionary Fund for allocation to local need and community initiatives. Ahead of tonight’s Dublin City Council Budget 2021 meeting, the Labour Group on Dublin City Council is calling for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to urgently reassess the funding of local government….

Labour spokesperson on Employment Affairs, Senator Marie Sherlock, has said that dire conditions in the meat industry show the urgent need for sick pay, and has called on the Government to take immediate action.   Senator Sherlock was speaking after a survey from the Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland found 90 per cent of companies…

Today, Wednesday 25th November 2020, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Labour Party Spokesperson for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration, Senator Ivana Bacik will speak alongside President Michael D Higgins, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee and others at a webinar to launch new findings from Women’s Aid about the prevalence…

Labour education spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has called for an apology to the students in Presentation College Carlow saying “The school management team at Presentation College Carlow should apologise to the students and parents after pupils were told that they should not wear clothing that would “distract male teachers”. “The students and parents are rightly…

Labour Housing Spokesperson, Senator Rebecca Moynihan has called for the eviction ban to be extended beyond the current Level 5 restrictions. Senator Moynihan was speaking after it was announced that a ban on evictions from those in rental arrears will be extended from January to April next year. Senator Moynihan said: “An extension of a…

Clear that loan schemes have failed so far to support Irish enterprises. Only half of applicants have been approved and €53m drawdown. With the government extending the €2bn Credit Guarantee Scheme by six months and further promoting the Brexit loan scheme, Labour Enterprise spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said that there must be an examination of…

Labour Bill proposes new and holistic way of measuring economic, social and environmental wellbeing and progress  New quality of life metrics will help policy makers target resources to where they are needed most. Labour T.D for Louth & East Meath, Ged Nash today (Tuesday, 24th November) introduced a Bill to the Dáil, which would use quality of life indicators alongside traditional economic metrics…

Today at Leinster House, Labour Party leader Alan Kelly and Party spokesperson on Children, Equality, Disability and Integration, Senator Ivana Bacik, launched a petition to support Labour’s Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Naturalisation of Minors Born in Ireland) Bill 2018, which is due back next week before the Seanad and which would provide a pathway to…

Kelly calls for leaders to be briefed by Government in advance of Thursday announcement. Detailed roll-out plan for Covid-19 vaccine must be published. With a crucial decision on exiting level 5 due later this week, Labour Leader and Health Spokesperson Alan Kelly has said that the tracing system must be adequately resourced in order to…

Comprehensive explanation needed from Minister Ryan Labour Spokesperson on Climate Action, Duncan Smith T.D has questioned why the high-level group for the Governments climate action strategy hasn’t met in over a year. Deputy Smith was speaking after it was revealed that the Climate Action Delivery Board hasn’t met in a year. Deputy Smith said: “Last…

Responding to an article in Sunday’s edition of the Business Post which reports on the concerns expressed by Housing officials about the implementation of the Catherine Day advisory group’s recommendations to end to Direct Provision, Labour Seanad Group Leader and spokesperson for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration, Senator Ivana Bacik said: “Reports of resistance to the…

Legislation needed to ban developers converting student accommodation into tourist accommodation. Labour Housing Spokesperson, Senator Rebecca Moynihan has welcomed the decision by Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien to finally outlaw co-living but cautioned that new guidelines are needed on Purpose Built Student Accommodation. Senator Moynihan was speaking after Minister O’Brien announced that he would amend the…

Action needed on transport emissions, infrastructure like MetroLink must be prioritised Big polluters need to be tackled Speaking after the release of provisional emissions figures for 2019 published by the Environmental Protection Agency showing a 4.5% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions for the first time since 2011, Labour Spokesperson on Climate Action, Duncan Smith said:…

With the ongoing controversy over the appointment process used for the most recent Supreme Court vacancy, Labour Party Justice spokesperson Brendan Howlin has today written to the Oireachtas Justice Committee asking that it hold hearings into the process of appointment, taking evidence from relevant officials and officerholders. Deputy Howlin said: “For a week the government…

Commenting on the study published yesterday by the Sexual Exploitation Research Programme (SERP) at UCD, commissioned by the Department of Justice, which recommends continued enforcement of Part 4 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 (the ban on sex purchase). Senator Ivana Bacik, Labour spokesperson on Children, Disability, Equality and Integration, issued a strong endorsement for the report’s recommendations,…

The revelation that the Minister for Education has only met the INTO once since August is unbelievable and unacceptable according to Labour Education Spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin. INTO General Secretary John Boyle told the Education Committee in response to a question from Deputy Ó Ríordáin that he has only met Minister Foley once since August….

The reliance on HAP Shows the State is failing on social housing according to Labour Housing Spokesperson, Senator Rebecca Moynihan. Senator Moynihan was speaking after the publication of an analysis by the Central Statistics Office on the HAP scheme. Senator Moynihan said: “The findings of this CSO Report show that we are failing on social…

Labour Bill will outlaw image based sexual abuse by creating a new offence of distributing an intimate image without consent Labour Justice Spokesperson Brendan Howlin has said the early passage into law of Labour’s Online Harassment Bill is urgent. Deputy Howlin was speaking after a large caché of illicit images were leaked on the internet….

·        Key issues must be addressed before remote working becomes the norm  ·        Labour Bill will support those working from home   ·        We are one of the few EU countries with no protection in employment law for remote working      Speaking ahead of the launch of Labour’s Working from Home (Covid-19) Bill 2020,…