Type: Press

Labour Housing Spokesperson Jan O’Sullivan TD, has called on Minister Murphy to clarify immediately if there has been a directive issued to Local Authorities telling them to stop considering applications for the ‘Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan Scheme’ due to funds for the scheme running out. Deputy O’Sullivan said “I am calling on the Minister for…

Labour Transport Spokesperson Senator Kevin Humphreys has welcomed the tendering for the additional fleet in Irish Rail to address serious overcrowding. He has also called for the electrification of busy commuter routes such as the Maynooth and Drogheda lines.   Senator Humphreys said; “I welcome the news today the NTA has issued a tender for pre-owned…

Today, in Cork City, Sheila Nunan was selected as the Labour Party candidate to stand in the forthcoming European Parliament elections due to take place in May 2019. Sheila has been a trade union activist throughout her career. In 2010 she was elected as INTO General Secretary, the first woman to hold the post, which…

Speaking in advance of the selection convention for Labour’s European Parliament candidate for Ireland South, in Cork on Sunday, and reacting to the news that the EU is ready to give the UK more legal guarantees on the Irish backstop, Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin TD called on the Government to hold firm. Deputy Howlin…

Reacting to the controversy over the detainment of two Northern Ireland fishing vessels, Labour Senator from Louth, Ged Nash has said that the roots of this lie in the unregulated access, and resulting damage to mussel beds in Irish waters, and fallout from the decision of the UK to leave the EU. Senator Nash explained:…

Speaking in response to the remarks of Minister Katherine Zappone and Tánaiste Simon Coveney in relation to Scouting Ireland, leader of the Labour Party, Brendan Howlin TD, says that the Government need to provide clarity on a matter that is of concern to thousands of parents. Deputy Howlin said: “I asked the Government a simple…

Labour Cork City local election candidate Peter Horgan has called for the establishment of a cycling commissioner in Cork city and County that would have a statutory footing to push forward alternative transport options, investment and communications for Cork city and county. Mr Horgan said: “London has such an office which sits between the City…

Labour Party Education spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, has called on the Department for Education to roll out a national initiative to improve school attendance. This follows a successful pilot to improve school attendance by Túsla – CYPSC City North initiative through out the month of February. Senator Ó Ríordáin said: “This morning I attended the…

Labour Housing Spokesperson Jan O’Sullivan TD, has expressed continued frustration at the rising homeless figures published today. There was an increase of 234 people nationally presenting as homeless. Speaking today Deputy O’Sullivan said; “These figures are just another reminder of how unfit for purpose Rebuilding Ireland has become, and 234 additional people homeless in the…

Speaking in response to debate on the Withdrawal of the UK from the EU Bill 2019, Labour Party Leader and spokesperson on Brexit, Brendan Howlin TD, called on Fine Gael to publish the amount of EU financial support that will be available to support vulnerable Irish jobs, and to establish a new Brexit Jobs Fund…

Labour Senator Ged Nash has hit out at the low levels of policing cover in Drogheda in the wake of the latest gangland attack in the town, calling on the Minister for Justice to act, saying: “There is an ongoing and violent criminal feud in the town which is wreaking havoc and putting lives at…

Speaking in advance of the launch of the Government’s policy statement on housing options for older people, Jan O’Sullivan TD has warned that the regulations, standards and quality of housing for older people should not be watered down. Deputy O’Sullivan said: “Reports today suggest that developers have been seeking the relaxation of rules and standards…

Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin has welcomed the last minute row back by the Revenue Commissioners to delay plans to charge VAT on food supplements until November. This follows the Taoiseach telling the Dáil in response to Deputy Howlin’s question today that the Government could not tell the Revenue Commissioners what to do. Deputy Howlin…

Speaking on the Government’s no deal Brexit Omnibus bill, Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin TD outlined a number of technical concerns with the bill as drafted, and the economic and political ramifications for Ireland that would follow from a no deal Brexit. On granting special consession to the UK on tax, Deputy Howlin said: “Part…

Labour spokesperson on Children & Youth Affairs Seán Sherlock has queried the grading given to the Government on the Affordable Childcare Scheme, saying that the progress to date is still mired in potential delays due to implementation backlogs, and the funding being committed is not being spent. Deputy Sherlock said: “Despite the announcement of the…

Labour Housing spokesperson Jan O’Sullivan has described as ‘damning, yet unsurprising’ the news that the Child and Family Homelessness has been downgraded from an E grade to an F grade, by the Children’s Rights Alliance Report Card, 2019. Deputy O’Sullivan agrees that with CRA’s call to declare a housing emergency. Deputy O’Sullivan said: “Today’s report…

Labour Party Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has described the Department of Health as insensitive to the needs of women and their families at the centre of the CervicalCheck scandal. This comes as the Department of Health made a decision to wind up the CervicalCheck Steering Committee. Deputy Kelly: “The bizarre decision by the department…

Labour General Election candidate, Alan Mangan has called on Fine Gael to halt the 23% VAT increase on food supplements they are introducing from the 1st March that was sneaked in without any debate in the Dáil. Mr. Mangan and the Labour Party is calling for this now to be freezed as it is a…

Labour LGBT has expressed concern regarding the delay to the court ruling on the criminality of homosexuality in Kenya.    Executive member Karl Hayden said;  “Labour LGBT notes with concern the delay by the Kenyan High Court in making a ruling on the criminality of homosexuality in Kenya. Labour LGBT calls on the judge in the…

Labour Health spokesperson Alan Kelly has called on the Minister for Health to make a statement to clarify where the second report by Dr Gabriel Scally is, and when it will be released. Deputy Kelly said: “I want to know where is Dr Gabriel Scally’s follow up report in relation to the laboratories used by…

At the Labour Party convention in Castlecomer Community Hall on Tuesday night, Denis Hynes was selected to contest the local elections, pledging to continue the good work of Cllr Maurice Shortall, and campaign for more housing, safer roads, community and sport facilities. Speaking to members, Denis Hynes said: “It’s a great honour to be selected…

Labour representative for Dublin Central, Joe Costello has said the film ‘A Girl from Mogadishu’ is an inspiration to us all. He said: “The film “A Girl from Mogadishu” is being premiered tonight, Friday, 22 February, in the Odeon Cinema Complex at the Point Village in the Dublin Docklands. It is a momentous occasion. An…

Labour Finance spokesperson Joan Burton TD has called on the Government to clarify the specifics of state aid support that will be available in the event of a no deal Brexit. Deputy Burton said: “The Fine Gael government is once again involved in a PR exercise where we are being told that state aid will…

Labour representative for Dun Laoghaire, Cllr Deirdre Kingston has welcomed the announcement of An Foras Pátrúnachta as the new patron for an eight-classroom school in Booterstown and Blackrock, but said there are now two new primary schools in the area without a definite site solution, with a post primary school planned for the area as…