Type: Press

Reacting to results of a survey into staff recruitment by the Teachers’ Union of Ireland Labour Party education spokesperson, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has called on the government to take measures to make teaching an attractive option for graduates of key subjects. Senator Ó Ríordáin said: “Results of a survey by the TUI shows that there…

Labour Spokesperson for Rural Affairs, Deputy Willie Penrose, has again raised the issue of the need for greater IDA investment in Westmeath.  Deputy Penrose said: “I have once again raised the issue of IDA investment with the Minister for Business, Enterprise, and Innovation. While there have been welcome increases in the rate of employment across…

Labour Party Health spokesperson Alan Kelly TD has welcomed news that costs associated with the drug Pembro for cervical cancer patients will now be funded by the State. Deputy Kelly said: “I am delighted that Minister Harris has finally sanctioned that the State will foot the bill for cervical cancer patients who are able to…

Labour LGBT are concerned the producers of the RTÉ PrimeTime programme airing this evening have decided to go ahead with a programme on Trans Youth, despite the clear calls not to do so by those who are directly concerned with the welfare of young Trans people and their families in Ireland. Labour LGBT believes the…

Labour Spokeswomen on Arts and Heritage, Joan Burton TD, has extended congratulations to Element Pictures, Louise Bagnall and Robbie Ryan for their Oscar nominations announced today. Deputy Burton also emphasised that these nominations should serve to highlight the value of investing the arts in Ireland. Deputy Burton said; “Another year of nominations for Irish film…

Labour Party health spokesperson Alan Kelly TD has said that this Cervical Cancer Prevention Week the Minister for Health must commit to setting out timelines on four key issues when it comes to cervical cancer.  Deputy Kelly said: “While there has been much scandal around CervicalCheck this year, it is still imperative for women to…

Labour Spokesperson for Urban Regeneration, Joe Costello, has called on the government to act to tackle the sustained rise in childhood homeless.  Mr. Costello said: “The sharp increase in the number of homeless children who were treated in Temple St Hospital in 2018 compared to 2017 from 651 to 842 is alarming. “It reflects the…

Labour Transport Spokesperson Senator Kevin Humphreys has called on Minister Ross to reinvigorate and expand the ‘Local Area Hackney’ or ‘Rural Hackney’ license scheme, and expressed concerns about the back of the envelope plan proposed by Minister Daly which opens the door to Uber as a public transport service model in Ireland.  Senator Humphreys said:  “While finding more creative…

Labour Party health spokesperson Alan Kelly TD has said the Minister for Health must honour their proposals passed by the Dáil on the nurses strike. Deputy Kelly said “According to the INMO, the HSE and the Department of health have made no proposals to averting strike action due to take place in just over a…

Speaking on the occasion of the centenary of the Democratic Programme of the First Dáil, written by Labour’s then leader Tom Johnson, the leader of the Labour Party, Brendan Howlin TD set out Labour’s non-negotiable priorities that must be met before Labour would support any government, including from Opposition. Deputy Howlin said: “In each of…

DUBLIN CANDIDATE WANTS GENEROUS CO-OPERATION BETWEEN PROGRESSIVE PARTIES The Labour Party has selected former Minister Alex White to contest the Dublin constituency in this May’s European Parliament elections. Thanking party members for nominating him, White said: “These elections will be the most momentous in the history of the European Union. “Brexit poses a real risk…

In an oration at the graveside of Tom Johnson, Jack O Connor called for  “the creation of a space for dialogue” involving, Labour, The Social Democrats, Left Independents and the Green Party. Mr O’Connor said: “Yes, there has been real and welcome progress on Equality over recent years, particularly reflected in the outcomes of the…

The Chair of the Labour Women Executive, Ellen O’Sullivan, has described the refusal of the Coombe hospital to provide termination in the case of fatal foetal abnormality as completely unacceptable.  Ms O’Sullivan said: “We are deeply frustrated and saddened by the news emerging that a woman with a fatal foetal abnormality was refused an abortion at…

Labour Party Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has said that the fact that another CervicalCheck case has passed through the courts is not good enough.  Deputy Kelly said:  “Despite promise after promise from the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health that it wouldn’t happen, another CervicalCheck case has ended up in court. While the case…

Leader of the Labour Party, Brendan Howlin TD, reacted to the latest developments in Westminster and the seeming paralysis of Leo Varadkar’s government on the risk of a ‘no deal’ Brexit and repeated his call for a people’s vote. Deputy Howlin said: “With the comprehensive defeat of the Withdrawal Agreement in Westminster yesterday, there is…

Labour Communications Spokesperson Seán Sherlock TD has called on phone operators to actively take steps to block fraudulent calls to members of the public following Three’s announcement that premium rate calls can now be blocked. Deputy Sherlock said: “Two years ago I called on the Minister for Justice and the Minister for Communications to take…

Labour’s Transport Spokesperson, Sen. Kevin Humphrys, has called for greater accountability for members of public boards who do not attend board meetings yet still pick up their salary. Senator Humphreys said: “Reporting today of salary payment of €11,970 being made to board member of the National Transport Authority who attending just four of the twelve…

Limerick Labour TD Jan O’Sullivan today questioned the Minister for Housing on why he continues to stand over the exclusion of Limerick City from Rent Pressure Zones when it has the highest private rent increases in the country. Deputy O’Sullivan said:  “The Minister continues to stand over his formula that is keeping Limerick renters under…

Labour Party Health spokesperson Alan Kelly TD, has along with with Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats and Indpendents4Change submitted proposals to the Dáil on the upcoming strike by the INMO and the PNA. Deputy Kelly said: “There is no denying that pay is a factor in the recruitment and retention crisis in the nursing sector….

Mayor of Galway, Cllr. Niall McNeilis has expressed sympathy to the family, friends, and constituents of Pawel Adamowicz, Mayor of Gdansk. Cllr. McNeilis has written to the Polish Embassy expressing his condolences. Cllr. McNeilis said; ”I would like to express my condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Mayor Pawel Adamowicz following his tragic…

Labour Party Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has repeated his calls for the State to make Meningitis B vaccinations more affordable. This comes as a 12th case of meningitis B has been confirmed. Deputy Kelly said: “In refusing to make the meningitis B vaccine free or more affordable, Minister Simon Harris has rejected the will…

Labour Spokesperson on Climate Action, Seán Sherlock TD, has recommended that government strengthen the power of the Climate Change Advisory Council.   Deputy Sherlock highlighted the slow rate of necessary retrofitting of homes and public buildings as just one example of how this government lacks ambition on environmental issues and continues to ignore recommendations from the opposition and statutory bodies…

Labour Party Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has said it is imperative that the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, must give official confirmation that all women with cervical cancer who are eligible to use Pembro will have their bills for this treatment taken care of by the State. Deputy Kelly said: “Before Christmas the Minister…

The Labour Party in Westmeath has selected a further five candidates for the electoral areas of Moat, Mullingar, and Kinnegad, ahead of the upcoming local elections this May. The well-attended selection convention held on Friday 11th Jan, in the Newbury Hotel, Mullingar was attended by Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin TD, Labour’s National Organiser Billie…