Labour Blog

57 Labour Councillors Elected

Posted on May 29, 2019

57 Labour candidates have been elected to serve as local Councillors, in 21 of Ireland's 31 local councils.

Labour's vote share was 9.8% in those areas we contested. Of those elected, 34 were sitting Councillors, 10 had run in the past and 13 were first-time candidates.

Labour had fewer TDs and Senators, and fewer party resources than in 2014. Yet, we increased the Party’s number of elected Councillors, with seat gains in Waterford (+3), Fingal (+2), Wicklow (+2), Cork City (+1), Louth (+1) and Meath (+1). Crucially, we secured a solid vote in a number of areas where we’d hope to win Dáil seats.

Labour fielded 111 candidates in 95 local electoral areas. 41% of our candidates were women, and 42% of our elected Councillors are women.

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Permanent link | Categories: Local Government • #LE19

Co-living Proposals Show Fine Gael is Out of Touch

Posted on May 21, 2019

Brendan Howlin TD, Leader of the Labour Party (Leaders' Question, Dáil, 21 May 2019)

Minister Murphy recently said that professional people should live like students in so-called co-living accommodation, because that is now normal in London or New York. I would point out to the Minister that those are among the most unaffordable housing markets in the world, where prices and rents are out of control.

London and New York have serious problems because housing is now an investment for speculation. Speculative investment in housing is clearly happening in Ireland too.

The most recent OECD report warns that the Irish economy is vulnerable to recession due to a disorderly Brexit. But it also warns that the presence of foreign investors in the property market is a particular risk.

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Permanent link | Categories: Housing

We Should Embrace a New, Inclusive Definition of Irishness

Posted on May 17, 2019

Brendan Howlin TD, Leader of the Labour Party

Across Europe, populists and extremists are trying to resurrect failed ideas about segregating people by language, religion or the colour of their skin. It is not enough to dismiss these ideas; we have to actively oppose them to ensure social inclusion in Ireland’s diverse society.

We should rightly celebrate our age-old traditions, and migrants should be taught Irish history, culture and language in our schools. But at the same time, we should welcome new cultural contributions from our diverse population, and not supress difference.

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Permanent link | Categories: Equality • Justice • Social Inclusion • Diversity • Welcome • Migration • Immigation • Immigrants • Emigration • Racism • Xenophobia • Identity • Irish • Irishness

Why we want to restore Town Councils

Posted on March 27, 2019

Brendan Howlin writes below about why the Labour Party wants to restore town councils so that people can have a real democratic say in the future of their local town.

On Thursday 28th March, the Dáil select committee on local government will scrutinise the bill from Brendan Howlin TD that seeks to restore Town Councils.

Towns are at the heart of our community and drive local economies across Ireland. It’s where people meet, do their shopping, go to school, watch a match, and celebrate life’s big moments.

When a local person does something great, or when a big celebrity visits, it’s where we gather to mark those events.

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Young people’s opinions sought on the future of Ireland

Posted on August 30, 2018

The Labour Party is looking for submissions from young people all over Ireland on our project to rewrite the ‘Democratic Programme’ for the 21 ^st Century.

What are the guiding principles that should steer our nation as we enter our second century?

What do young people today hope Ireland will be like by the time they get to retirement age?

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Time to separate Church and State in Education

Posted on July 27, 2018

Originally published on the Journal.ie, Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin writes asking, if the constitution is the problem, then the models previously used such as the Citizens' Assembly should be utilised to address how we end religious control of education in Ireland

You can take action here by signing our petition calling for the Citizens' Assembly to be reconvened.

https://www.labour.ie/act

After the resounding success of the ‘Repeal the 8th’ campaign, the question is already being asked: what next?

Housing, education, poverty and health are constant struggles for Irish political life to get to grips with. For me the cause of overhauling our drug policy is central to how we show compassion and end stigma for some of our most vulnerable citizens.

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Apply for the 2018 Richard O'Carroll Empowerment Bursary

Posted on June 08, 2018

Now in its third year, the Labour Party’s Richard O’Carroll Empowerment Bursary is named in memory of the leader of the Labour Group on Dublin Corporation who was killed in the 1916 Easter Rising, Councillor Richard O’Carroll.

In addition to his involvement in the Dublin Labour Party, Richard O’Carroll was an official of the Brick and Stonelayers Trade Union. During the Rising, Richard was shot by a British officer on Camden Street on the 26th of April 1916. Despite being rescued by a passing bread van and brought to hospital, Richard died nine days later in Portobello Military Hospital, leaving behind his widow, Annie, and seven children.

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Have your say on #aNewRepublic

Posted on May 24, 2018

The Labour Party’s current project ‘A New Republic’ invites people across Ireland to take a step back and look at the big picture of where we as a society want to be in 100 years’ time, and what changes we need to make to get there.

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Sherlock - Why I am voting Yes on May 25th

Posted on May 23, 2018

Our TD for Cork East, tell's us why he is voting Yes on May 25th. 

For me, it’s simple: Like it or not, Ireland already has abortion. The question is not whether we want abortion here, it’s whether we want safe abortion here. I want my country to have a public health system where no woman or girl is ever again forced to travel abroad in sorrow or shame, or made to endanger her life in silence or secrecy.

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2017 Winner of Richard O’Carroll Empowerment Bursary Announced

Posted on November 15, 2017

Congratulations to the 2017 winner of the Labour Party Richard O’Carroll Empowerment Bursary, Aaron Mills.

Despite the chill in the morning air, there was a very warm welcome for Labour Party representatives in the home of Aaron Mills in Clonshaugh Avenue, Coolock.

Grandparents, aunts, neighbours gathered around Aaron Mills, excited that he is the 2017 recipient of the Richard O’Carroll Empowerment Bursary, first awarded in 2016 as part of the Labour Party's centenary commemoration of the 1916 Rising.

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