Type: Press
Minister needs to suspend co-living guidelines now
The Minister for Housing needs to suspend the co-living guidelines while his department are conducting their review according to Labour Housing Spokesperson, Senator Rebecca Moynihan. Moynihan was speaking after another application was lodged with An Bord Pleanála for a 201 bed shared living space on the former Kenilworth Motors site at Harold’s Cross. Senator Moynihan…
Read more »Minister for Health needs to get to grips with non-Covid healthcare crisis
The Minister for Health needs to get to grips with the crisis in non-Covid healthcare according to Labour Leader and Health Spokesperson, Alan Kelly. Deputy Kelly was speaking after a Department of Health briefing document releases under Freedom of Information revealed the true state of the health system post Covid including massive backlogs for basic…
Read more »Urgent targeted response required for vulnerable populations
An urgent targeted response is required for vulnerable populations, according to Labour Spokesperson on Equality and Integration, Senator Ivana Bacik. Senator Bacik was speaking after the publication of NPHET advice showing the emergence of several Covid-19 clusters in a number of places, including Direct Provision centres, amongst the Traveller community and in meat factories. Senator Bacik said: “It…
Read more »Increase in discretionary funding for social housing projects welcome
– Department needs to look at approval process The increase in discretionary funding for social housing projects from €2m to €6m has been welcomed by Labour Housing Spokesperson, Senator Rebecca Moynihan. Moynihan said that the Department needs to look at streamlining the approval process further and to increase funding for community facilities to support local…
Read more »Government must reign in Bank of Ireland over redundancy plans
The Government must immediately rein in Bank of Ireland management according to Labour Finance Spokesperson Ged Nash who was speaking after the announcement that the bank plans to slash 1,400 jobs over the coming years. The Louth & East Meath TD said the announcement is absolutely unacceptable considering the State holds a significant shareholding in…
Read more »Changes to green list do not address travel concerns
The Government still hasn’t adequately addressed concerns with foreign travel according to Labour Transport Spokesperson Duncan Smith who was speaking after the Government removed five countries from the green list following a resurgence of Covid-19 cases in those countries. Deputy Smith said: “The changes announced today amount to little more than window dressing and do…
Read more »Cabinet needs to deal with PUP discrimation against self-employed
The Cabinet needs to deal today with the PUP oversight whereby potentially thousands of workers have had their PUP cut from the higher rate of €350 to €203 a week, on foot of an anomaly that does not allow applicants to combine PAYE and self-employed earnings in any one year according to Labour Enterprise Spokesperson…
Read more »Incredible that no handover meeting took place between Donnelly and Harris
Labour Leader Alan Kelly has said that it is incredible that no handover meeting took place between Minister Stephen Donnelly and his predecessor Simon Harris considering the Covid-19 crisis. Deputy Kelly was speaking after receiving a response to a Parliamentary Question stating that no formal handover briefing took place. Deputy Kelly said: “It is absolutely…
Read more »Statement on the death of John Hume
Commenting after the death of John Hume, Labour Leader Alan Kelly said: “John Hume was an extraordinary man, a true Irish patriot and hero. “He dedicated his life to the pursuit of peace and reconciliation on this island and his legacy is impossible to quantify. “During the darkest days of paramilitary violence and sectarianism, John…
Read more »Enhanced testing at airports welcome but remit should be wider than random
The Governments decision to put in a place an enhanced testing regime and begin random Covid-19 testing at airports has been welcomed by Labour’s Transport Spokesperson Duncan Smith who said that the testing regime should be be broadened to specifically target travellers from high risk countries. Deputy Smith said: “With case numbers going up and…
Read more »Ministers failure to acknowledge PUP foul up is a slap in the face for the self employed
The Minister for Social Protections failure to acknowledge the foul up with the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is a slap in the face for the self-employed people affected by the anomaly according to Labour Enterprise Spokesperson, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Deputy Ó Ríordáin was speaking after receiving a reply to a Parliamentary Question from Social Protection…
Read more »Drop in homelessness shows eviction ban is working
The drop in the numbers presenting homeless shows the eviction ban and rent freeze introduced by the Government in March have worked according to Labour Housing Spokesperson, Senator Rebecca Moynihan. Moynihan was speaking after the release of the Homeless Quarterly Progress Report and June monthly homeless figures which showed an increase in exits from homelessness…
Read more »Government must step in to guarantee Aer Lingus jobs and routes in Cork and Shannon
The Government must step in to guarantee Aer Lingus jobs and routes in Cork and Shannon according to Labour Transport Spokesperson Duncan Smith. Deputy Smith was speaking after it was revealed that Aer Lingus are considering compulsory redundancies and reviewing operations by closing their bases at Cork and Shannon due to losses incurred by the…
Read more »Smoky coal ban should be extended to all towns in Tipperary
Labour Party Leader and Health spokesperson Alan Kelly TD has said the Government can no longer continue to ignore the benefits of banning smoky coal in towns across Tipperary. Deputy Kelly said: “A commitment was made in 2015 to implement a nationwide ban on smoky coal in 2016, yet only towns with a population of…
Read more »Supreme Court Judgement finds 2017 climate plan is inadequate
The Supreme Court Judgement quashing the 2017 National Mitigation Plan for Climate Change highlights the lack of specific commitments in the plan according to Labour Spokesperson on Climate Action, Communication Networks and Transport, Duncan Smith TD Deputy Smith said: “The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015 was brought through the Oireachtas by Alan…
Read more »Statement on death of Colm Ó Briain former General Secretary of the Labour Party
Labour Party Leader Alan Kelly has expressed his sadness on the death of former General Secretary of the Labour Party Colm Ó Briain who had a distinguished career in the arts, media and politics. Deputy Kelly said: “We are saddened to learn of the death of our comrade Colm Ó Briain. On behalf of the…
Read more »Dáil Reform ended tonight as Government took back control
new Taoiseach committed to end Government control of Dáil in 2016 but has now reversed the reforms he once sought. Labour Party whip Duncan Smith responding to the return of a majoritarian approach to the ordering of Dáil business by the three party coalition government said: “New politics died tonight. The Government has taken back…
Read more »Massive concerns remain for workers in meat factories
Massive concerns remain for workers in meat factories according to Labour Senator Annie Hoey who has described as extremely worrying reports that the significant rise in Covid-19 cases announced today are linked to an outbreak of the virus at a meat factory in Naas, Co. Kildare, where two workers who tested positive were residents at…
Read more »Dáil needs to be recalled to rectify PUP foul up
The Dáil needs to be recalled in order to deal with a foul up in relation to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment according to Labour Spokesperson on Enterprise, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin. Deputy Ó Ríordáin was speaking after it was revealed that a number of people have had their PUP cut from the higher rate of €350…
Read more »Children in Ireland are being “failed” by the State
The Labour Party’s Seanad group leader and party Spokesperson on Children, Disability, Equality & Integration has highlighted what she describes as the State’s “failure” in its duty of care to children, following the publication of HSE figures on special needs assessment waiting times. Speaking about waiting times for special needs assessments, Senator Bacik said: “The…
Read more »Deadline to apply for school transport needs to be extended until there is clarity on how social distancing will work in schools
The deadline to apply for school transport needs to be extended until there is clarity on how social distancing measures will work in schools according to Labour Education Spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin. Ó Ríordáin was speaking after Minister Norma Foley extended the deadline to apply for transport from Friday 31st of July to Tuesday 1st…
Read more »Wall welcomes opening of applications for €70 million Covid-19 Sport Ireland fund
Labour Spokesperson on Sport, Senator Mark Wall has welcomed the opening of the application process for €70 million funding by Sport Ireland for sporting organisations through four different targeted grant schemes in response to the Covid-19 crisis. Senator Wall said: “Sporting organisations are the backbone of our communities and they have come under severe…
Read more »Minister needs to guarantee that students with special needs won’t lose out under roadmap to reopen schools
The Minister for Education needs to guarantee that students with special needs won’t lose out under the roadmap to reopen schools according to Labour Education Spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin. Under the policy outlined in the roadmap, students or teachers who feel in any way unwell are required to, in the first instance, stay at home…
Read more »Request for State Car made by former Taoiseach but when did it happen?
Who is actually in charge, and when was request made by Varadkar? Following the latest revelations about the allocation of a State car to the Minister for Foreign Affairs made on the request of the former Taoiseach, Labour Party Leader Alan Kelly said: “In the Dáil today I questioned the Taoiseach again as to whether…
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