Type: Press

Speaking in advance of presenting the Richard O’Carroll Empowerment Bursary in Cork this evening, leader of the Labour Party spoke about Labour’s enduring commitment to education for all as the route to personal and community empowerment. Deputy Howlin said: “Labour has long been committed to the principle of making education, at all levels, accessible to…

Speaking in relation to Brexit developments, after the Party of European Socialists meeting this weekend in Lisbon, leader of the Labour Party Brendan Howlin TD thanked European colleagues for their solidarity on the Irish backstop.  Deputy Howlin said “Our democratic socialist and social democratic colleagues from across Europe have shown great understanding about Ireland’s concerns,…

The Labour Women National Executive have declared their opposition to the National Maternity Hospital being run with a Catholic ethos, or under the influence of any religious order.   Their members, along with members from across the Labour Party, and Labour Youth, will be joining the national demonstration on Saturday the 8th December, calling for…

Finance spokesperson of the Labour Party, Joan Burton TD, speaking in response to revelations at yesterday’s Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, pointed out that Minister Pascal Donohoe’s failure as majority shareholder of Permanent TSB means over 6,000 distressed mortgages are being sold to a ‘vulture fund’ and it looks likely that a…

Labour Party Health spokesperson Alan Kelly has welcomed the recommendation by HIQA to extend the HPV vaccine to boys. Deputy Kelly said: “The decision by HIQA to extend the HPV vaccine to boys is most welcome. Providing the HPV vaccine will protect boys and girls indirectly from HPV related diseases.  “The Labour Party has been…

Labour Senator, Ivana Bacik, has called on Fine Gael and the Independent Alliance to stop delaying the progression of pieces of legislation put forward by opposition parties designed to compact climate change. Senator Bacik will be joining climate change activists tomorrow outside Leinster House tomorrow, Friday 7th December. Commenting today, Senator Bacik said: “This Government…

Labour Spokesperson for Justice, Sean Sherlock TD, has called on Minister Flanagan to act swiftly and implement the recommendations of the Murry Report.  Commenting today Deputy Sherlock said: “The High Court’s decision in the Graham Dwyer case this morning was all too predictable. Neither the Government, the Gardaí nor in particular the Justice Minister Charlie…

Labour spokesperson on Climate Action, Sean Sherlock TD is responding to the Annual Transition Statements in the Dáil. Deputy Sherlock raised the lack of urgency that seems to be the hallmark of this government’s approach to Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Speaking in the Dáil Deputy Sherlock said; “The annual transition statement is disconcerting in how it…

Speaking in response to the developments this week in the UK, Leader of the Labour Party, Brendan Howlin TD spoke about the need for Ireland and the EU to prepare to give the UK more time to complete their internal deliberations on the Withdrawal Agreement. Deputy Howlin said: “Ever since June 2016, the British Parliament…

Labour TD Joan Burton, speaking in Dail Éireann on the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018, has argued that while conscientious objection is a right which must be recognised, so too is conscientious support. Deputy Burton argued that allowing for conscientious objection should not equate to a complete abandonment of patients. Speaking in…

Labour Councillors Deirdre Kingston, Denis O Callaghan, and Carrie Smyth have called on the Council to advance the social housing element of the Shanganagh Urban Village Scheme on Council owned lands at Shanganagh, Shankill. The Scheme, which was agreed to by all Councillors, sets out a plan for a mixture of social and affordable housing…

Labour Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has called on the Health Minister to ensure that Pembro is available to all Cervical Cancer patients who are eligible to take the drug as soon as possible. Deputy Kelly said: “Firstly I want to congratulate Vicky Phelan, Aine Morgan, and Tracey Brennan on their campaigning efforts to ensure…

Labour spokesperson on Housing Jan O’Sullivan TD, has reiterated her call for a rent register to be introduced, following the publication of the Threshold Annual Report, 2018 Speaking today Deputy O’Sullivan; “Areas covered by the Rent Pressure Zones are seeing rent increases well above the 4% maximum required and for cities like Limerick and Waterford…

Labour TD Seán Sherlock has reacted to the Government’s Annual Transition Statement: “The annual transition statement is disconcerting in how it depicts a lot of positive action without stating clearly how far this country is of course in tackling climate change.  We are going in the wrong direction in terms of our climate pollution: emissions are…

Climate Action Committee Member Seán Sherlock TD has called on the Government to engage with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions on the essential need for a Just Transition to tackle climate change impacts on workers. “I welcome Congress giving evidence this evening to the Climate Action committee on the vital area of the Just…

Labour TD for Cork Seán Sherlock has called on Irish Rail to expand sessional late night services to commuter routes in Cork for the Christmas season.    Commenting today Deputy Sherlock said:   “At this time of year, Irish Rail offer additional late night services over three weekends on five of the busiest commuter route into…

Labour Senator Kevin Humphreys has called on the government to fast-track the Qualifications and Quality Assurance Bill, in light of the overnight closure of yet another English language college.   Commenting today Senator Humphreys said:   “100 international students and twenty-five members of staff at the Dublin English language school based in Grafton College, Portabello,…

Ireland’s fastest growing youth movement, Labour Youth has this weekend elected a new Chairperson, Patrick Ahern, following a successful three day conference in County Wexford. Speaking after being elected at the Labour Youth conference Patrick Ahern commented: “I’m delighted to have been elected Chairperson of Labour Youth. I’d like to thank the membership for putting…

Labour Spokesperson for Disability and general election candidate for Cork North Central, Kathleen Lynch has called on Minister Eoghan Murphy to ensure that all public housing built by this government be completely disability accessible. Commenting today, Mrs. Lynch said: “Today marks the 26th International Day of Persons with Disabilities and provides us all with a…

Labour Party Health spokesperson Alan Kelly TD has said the drug Pembro needs to be available to Cervical Cancer patients sooner rather than later. Deputy Kelly said: “I welcome moves by Health Minister Simon Harris to put measures in place to extend the drug Pembro to all Cervical Cancer patients whose clinicians want them to…

Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin TD today spoke in the Dáil about the importance of maintaining the Dublin Fire Brigade’s ambulance service. Deputy Howlin said: “In June of this year, the Dáil passed a motion on the Dublin Fire Brigade. We recognised that the Dublin Fire Brigade provides crucial ambulance services. “The Dáil rejected the…

Labour Spokesperson on Education Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin has called on the Minister for Education to act now to avoid industrial chaos follwing the ASTI rejection of the propsed pay deal. Comenting Senator O’Ríordáin said: “I am calling on the Minister to proactively re-engage with the unions to find a new deal for teachers. “Two…

Labour spokesperson on Housing, Jan O’Sullivan TD, has called on Minister Murphy to take action now to “stop the horror of homelessness that so many families and individuals dread.” Deputy O’Sullivan said:  “Latest homelessness figures show there are now 9724 people in emergency accommodation, up 26 on the previous month.  These figures leave out the…

Labour Senator Kevin Humphreys has described as a ‘complete failure” the government’s strategy to reduce carbon emissions. Commenting today Senator Humphreys said: “The Minister has admitted that we are 99% short of our emissions targets set for 2020. This was admitted while announcing seven programmes in receipt of Climate Action Fund monies, which is welcome,…