Type: Press
Roadmap for reopening disability services should be the same as the opening of schools
The roadmap for reopening disability services should be the same as the roadmap for opening schools according to Labour Leader Alan Kelly who raised the issue with Taoiseach Michéal Martin at Leaders Questions. Deputy Kelly said: “Taoiseach, I want you to intervene directly, we are not going to leave these people behind, and it is…
Read more »PUP – Outstanding questions remain for Minister
Responding to the latest government u-turn on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, Labour Social Protection Spokesperson Seán Sherlock has welcomed the decision by the Minister saying common sense had prevailed but added that questions remain for the Minister about the legal standing of recent regulations and the approach of her Department. Deputy Sherlock said: “I am glad…
Read more »No Cash without Conditions – Labour tables amendments to Finance bill
Labour says Financial Provisions (Covid-19) Bill should be amended to better protect workers in bailed out firms Labour’s Finance spokesperson Ged Nash TD has brought forward amendments to today’s Finance Bill that would see strict social and employment conditions attached to access to the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme and the new Employer Wage Subsidy Scheme. …
Read more »O’Brien Spinning on Rental Arrears
Fianna Fáil are ‘spinning’ on the issue of rent arrears according to Labour Housing Spokesperson, Senator Rebecca Moynihan. Moynihan was speaking after the publication of a report from the Economic and Social Research Institute examining the impact of Covid-19 on affordability in the private rental sector. Senator Moynihan said “Speaking in the…
Read more »Coveney State car costing €200,000 a year
Decision to retain Garda car and drivers for fourth Minister not signed off on by Cabinet After it was confirmed to Labour Leader Alan Kelly TD in the Dáil today that there was no Cabinet decision to award a State car with two Garda drivers costing €200,000 a year to the Minister for Foreign Affairs,…
Read more »Government Need to Come Clean on Phoney Pay Cut
Reacting to the news of the Government’s phoney 10% pay cut which will leave Minister’s €1,000 better-off, Labour Spokesperson on Public Expenditure & Reform Ged Nash TD stated that this is effectively a renewal of a previous voluntary pay cut taken by the last Government. The Louth & East Meath Deputy called on the Taoiseach…
Read more »Government must take concrete action to protect low paid workers
The Government must take concrete action to protect low paid workers according to Labour Spokesperson on Employment Affairs, Senator Marie Sherlock. Sherlock was speaking after a report by the Economic and Social Research Institute ESRI found that frontline workers who tend to be in lower paid and less secure professions, but are considered among…
Read more »School reopening package may already be too late for some
no action on high primary class sizes In response to the school reopening plan Labour education spokesperson Aodhan Ó Ríordáin said it came very late in the day with a hard deadline approaching, he questioned if there was enough teacher supports for primary schools and criticised the failure to reduce class sizes there. Deputy Ó…
Read more »Unanswered questions for Department of Social Protection
With the Department of Social Protection tracking people going abroad and stopping their payments, Labour Social Protection spokesperson Seán Sherlock said there were unanswered questions that the Minister should address, and questioned why the government is singling out social welfare recipients for punishment if they travel abroad. Deputy Sherlock said: “We don’t know why the…
Read more »Student movement must be at the forefront of addressing the epidemic of sexual violence and harassment in education
Students and the student movement must be at the forefront of addressing the epidemic of sexual violence and harassment in education according to Labour Spokesperson on Further and Higher Education, Senator Annie Hoey. Hoey was speaking after Minister Simon Harris met the national advisory committee on sexual harassment and violence in third-level education to set…
Read more »Pay equality must extend to rest of public service
With both the Minister for Finance and Minister for Public Expenditure conceding they couldn’t have pay inequality in the Cabinet, Labour public expenditure spokesperson Ged Nash TD said the same principle must now be extended to the rest of the public service. Deputy Nash said: “The Minister for Finance yesterday conceded that they acted to…
Read more »Additional funding needed to help sports clubs deal with the fallout from the Covid-19 crisis
Additional funding including a new round of Sports Capital funding is needed to help sports clubs deal with the effects of the Covid-19 crisis according to Labour Spokesperson on Tourism and Sport, Senator Mark Wall. Wall has urged Minister’s Catherine Martin and Jack Chambers to immediately announce a new round of Sports Capital funding. Senator…
Read more »Generation of young people at risk if schools don’t return
Opportunity now to permanently reduce class sizes With a school reopening plan finally under preparation and due Monday, Labour Education spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said it must address the generation of young people at risk of losing out, and now is the time to permanently reduce class sizes. Deputy Ó Ríordáin said:“With details finally starting…
Read more »FF Renter bill flawed and full of holes
After examining the draft legislation for renters from the Minister for Housing, Labour Housing spokesperson Rebecca Moynihan said the latest Residential Tenancies Bill is flawed and full of holes and fails to address the main excuses used for evicting tenants. Senator Moynihan said: “The residential tenancies bill that will come to the Oireachtas this week…
Read more »These aren’t the Green jobs people voted for
Responding to revelations that Green Party Leader and Climate Action Minister Eamon Ryan is to appoint up to eight special advisers, Labour’s public spending spokesperson Ged Nash TD said; “When people voted Green in large numbers in February, this wasn’t the green jobs boost they had in mind. “Eamon Ryan will now have almost as…
Read more »Bill to tackle Revenge Porn must become law
Responding to the brave testimony of Megan, a victim of revenge porn, in the Irish Examiner today, Labour Justice spokesperson Brendan Howlin said passing his Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Bill into law must be a priority for the new government. Deputy Howlin said. “I want to commend the bravery of Megan who shared…
Read more »Help to Buy increase should be scrapped
€10k increase will drive price increases Labour spokesperson on Housing, Rebecca Moynihan has highlighted a number of anecdotal sudden price increases in new house prices by up to €10,000 following the July Stimulus changes in the Help to Buy scheme, calling for a halt to the developer bailout. Senator Moynihan said: “The decision of Fine…
Read more »July stimulus fails to adequately deal with concerns for livelihoods of those in the Arts sector
The July stimulus fails to adequately deal with the major concerns of those working in the arts sector according to Labour Spokesperson on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Senator Marie Sherlock. Senator Sherlock added that while the additional funding for performance, production, drama and culture are all to be welcomed along with the extension of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme,…
Read more »Response of Chinese Ambassador very concerning
Reaction to the Chinese Ambassador’s comments on concentration camps of Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang region and on the restriction of civil liberties in Hong Kong Labour Foreign Affairs spokesperson Brendan Howlin has described as very concerning the allegation from the Chinese ambassador to Ireland that reports of ethnic cleansing against the Uighur population in…
Read more »Bacik calls for update on O’Malley report into Sex Offences
As the most recent deadline for the publishing of the review of the investigation and prosecution of sexual offences in Ireland lapses, Labour Seanad leader and spokesperson on Children, Disability, Equality and Integration, Senator Ivana Bacik has called for an update on the progress of the report. Senator Bacik said: “The review of the investigation…
Read more »Changes to the Help to Buy Scheme will make housing more unaffordable
The changes to the Help to Buy Scheme announced as part of the July stimulus will make housing more unaffordable according to Labour Housing Spokesperson Rebecca Moynihan. Moynihan said the changes which will allow first-time buyers to reclaim up to 10% of the price of a new build, up from 5% do not address the…
Read more »Labour Leader announces key new staff appointments
Labour Party leader Alan Kelly TD has announced the following new appointments to senior staff positions within the Labour Party, adding that the Party will be ready for an election whenever it comes. Deputy Kelly said: “I am delighted to announce today the appointment of a number of new senior staff positions within the Labour…
Read more »Defence Force families should not have to rely on Social Welfare to make ends meet
Defence force families should not have to rely on social welfare payments such as the Working Family Payment to make ends meet, according to Labour Defence Spokesperson, Senator Mark Wall. Wall was speaking after receiving a reply to a Parliamentary Question confirming that 121 families are in receipt of the payment until the end of…
Read more »Stimulus fails to put money in pockets with no increase in Social Welfare rates
Labour social protection spokesperson Seán Sherlock said the government could have put money in people’s pockets by increasing social welfare rates that would directly support local shops and businesses, while the cuts to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment are short-sighted and will hit those who lost their jobs because of the pandemic hardest. Deputy Sherlock said:…
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