Type: Press
Enough is enough – emergency eviction ban needed
HAP limits must be revised Labour housing spokesperson Rebecca Moynihan said the number of people living in homeless is a shameful inditement of government housing policy. With a record number of young people living in homessless, Senator Moynihan said without proper protections for people in the private rental market, Ireland will continue to experience record…
Read more »One million banking customers must be protected during big switch
Labour finance spokesperson, Ged Nash has today (Wednesday, 27th April) said Government must step up and protect Ulster Bank and KBC customers ahead of the banks planned exit from the Irish market in order avoid the risk of chaos crippling basic bank transactions. Deputy Nash said: “Almost a million ordinary bank customers are in the…
Read more »Time for government to get real about flexible work
Supporting the call of Grow Remote for a right to flexible work, Labour employment spokesperson Marie Sherlock has today (Tuesday, 26th April) called on government to fast-track Labour’s Right to Flexible Work Bill 2022. Speaking ahead of the resumption of pre-legislative scrutiny of the Right to Request Remote Working Bill 2022 at the Oireachtas Enterprise…
Read more »Urgent action to combat prospect of rising interest rates needed now says Nash
Labour finance spokesperson, Ged Nash has today (Tuesday, 26th April) said a real plan to combat an imminent and sharp rise in variable mortgage interest rates is urgently needed to assist up to 450,000 homeowners. His call comes amid growing speculation that the European Central Bank will increase interest rates before the end of 2022….
Read more »Return to fully in-person teaching disadvantages disabled students says Hoey
Labour Higher Education spokesperson, Annie Hoey, has today (Friday, 22nd April) demanded that the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris steps up and guarantees that remote learning options become a permanent feature of our education system. The call comes following news that colleges are actively emailing students to confirm that for the next…
Read more »Ongoing insecurity of SNA role must be reviewed
Following a seminar hosted by Labour Party, Labour education spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and employment spokesperson Marie Sherlock have called for stronger workers’ rights for SNAs. Deputy Ó Ríordáin said: “In the week of teachers’ unions conferences, we in the Labour Party wanted to highlight the disparity in terms and conditions between SNAs and their…
Read more »Exceptional Needs Payments system needs urgent review
Labour Senator Mark Wall has today (Monday, 11th April) demanded an urgent review into how Exceptional Needs Payments (ENPs) are currently being processed and advertised. The call comes following official department figures showing payments for ENPs are down by almost 50% since 2019. Senator Wall said: “It’s clear that the government is failing to get…
Read more »Dysfunction in Department of Education causing administrative nightmare for schools
With constant delays and indecision in the Department of Education, Labour education spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has demanded a debate with the Minister of Education once the Oireachtas returns from the Easter break. Pointing to a range of issues relating to staffing scheduling, Deputy Ó Ríordáin said schools must be provided with information from the…
Read more »Fuel allowance eligibility must be extended now
Labour social protection spokesperson Sean Sherlock has today (Tuesday, 12th April) demanded that fuel allowance eligibility criteria be extended to offset the cost of living crisis without delay. Responding to proposals set to be signed off by Cabinet, Deputy Sherlock said: “While we appreciate the reported increase in the fuel allowance will help some people,…
Read more »ESRI report points to need for time-limited targeted measures for rental market
Labour committed to three year rent freeze Time for entire country to be declared RPZ for limited period Govt must increase cost rental supply Responding to the ESRI report published this morning, Labour housing spokesperson Rebecca Moynihan has called for a series of time limited rent stabilisations and controls to ease the rental crisis. Senator…
Read more »Minister for Further and Higher Education must ensure Bank of Ireland continue with Graduate Entry Medicine loan
Labour spokesperson on Further and Higher Education Senator Annie Hoey has demanded that the Minister engage with Bank of Ireland following the revelation of the winding up of the Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) loan. Senator Hoey said: “The winding up of the GEM loan by Bank of Ireland is deeply concerning. As the last bank…
Read more »Prospect of eviction from Richmond Road studios must be wake up call for Government and Dublin City Council
Labour Party Arts spokesperson Senator Marie Sherlock, Deputy Lord Mayor Joe Costello and Dublin City Councillors Jane Horgan Jones and Declan Meenagh have called on the Government and Dublin City Council to step up supports for artistic workspaces amid eviction threats against a successful, not-for-profit arts studio in North Dublin City. Speaking in the Seanad…
Read more »Latest IPCC report reveals time is running out to meet Paris targets says Bacik
Labour pledges support for real and immediate national effort Labour Party Leader, Ivana Bacik, has today (Monday, 4th April) said that the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on mitigation confirmed that time is running out to save the planet and that meeting Paris Agreement targets require a real and…
Read more »Lack of movement on free school books disadvantaging children
Following the Minister for Children’s announcement of the First 5 My Little Library Initiative, Labour education spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has called on the Department of Education to extend free school books to all children in this state. Deputy Ó Ríordáin said: “Year on year the cost of sending children back to school is rising,…
Read more »Full embargo needed on Russian oil and gas
IPCC report once again highlights need to move to renewable energy Labour leader Ivana Bacik has called for further sanctions as Russia continues to wage its illegal and devastating war on Ukraine. Deputy Bacik said: “As the brutal Russian invasion of a democratic European country continues, reporters in Ukraine have been providing evidence of utterly…
Read more »Financial Regulator must ensure smooth transition for Ulster Bank/KBC customers says Nash
Labour finance spokesperson Ged Nash has today (Friday, 1st April) issued a stark warning that hundreds of thousands of Ulster Bank and KBC customers could be potentially exposed to weeks of personal and business banking chaos when the two banks leave the market this year. The warning comes following an admission by the Governor of…
Read more »Every household must be offered best possible deal on their Electricity and Gas
– Energy Minister must call on CRU to act to protect consumers – Labour Bill would tackle the ‘loyalty penalty’ Raising with the Minister for Energy the soaring prices for electricity and gas, Labour Enterprise spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin called on Minister Ryan to meet with the regulator and ensure every household is offered the…
Read more »Sherlock urges Government to convene hurley-maker stakeholders
Urgency required to save the bloodstock of hurling Labour Agriculture Spokesperson Seán Sherlock TD has called on the Government and the Ministers for Agriculture convene a meeting of stakeholders on the crisis facing hurley-makers in the country. As Canning Hurleys in Galway close today due to a lack of ash supplies, Deputy Sherlock said we…
Read more »CCTV must be used to protect communities against illegal dumping
Following extensive campaigning to ensure CCTV footage can be used by local authorities to deter illegal dumping, Labour Senator Mark Wall has welcomed the publication of the Circular Economy Bill. Senator Wall said: “As we look forward to the summer time and spending more time out and about our communities, I am delighted to finally…
Read more »Labour says Government sick pay scheme leaves low paid workers short changed
Labour employment spokesperson Marie Sherlock has today (Wednesday, 30th March) said the Government’s Sick Pay scheme is too timid and fails to sufficiently protect the thousands of low to middle income earning people who will be out of pocket, if out sick. Senator Sherlock said: “Finally, and at a snail’s pace, we seem to be…
Read more »Students must be central to Leaving Cert reform
Equality audit of all secondary schools must be undertaken Responding to the Leaving Cert reform announced by government today, Labour education spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said the proposals must be examined more thoroughly, calling for an audit of the capacity of secondary schools to deliver the proposed changes. Deputy Ó Ríordáin said: “The experience of…
Read more »State intervention needed in nationwide housing crisis
With ordinary people continuing to be priced out of buying a home, Labour housing spokesperson Rebecca Moynihan has called for targeted state intervention to bridge the affordability gap in the housing market. Senator Moynihan said government must commit to increasing state investment in direct build housing to balance the housing market as the state is…
Read more »Ireland must be a world leader in regulating harmful behaviour by online platforms
Facebook whistle-blower calls on Irish legislators to hold Big Tech to account Labour spokesperson on media, arts and culture, Senator Marie Sherlock has said Ireland has a responsibility to be a defender of human rights and intervene to better regulate Big Tech organisations such as Facebook. Speaking during an Oireachtas briefing organised by Senator Marie…
Read more »Government must commit to increasing local authority inspectors
Private Residential Tenancies register must be amended Following the publication of research from Threshold showing the availability of more shortterm lets than long-term in key urban areas, Labour housing spokesperson Rebecca Moynihan has called on government to increase local authority inspectors to end the practice of landlords circumventing the planning permission rules. Senator Moynihan said:…
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