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

#OurFuture - Labour's Alternative budget

Posted on October 05, 2017

We have made clear that we don't believe there is enough space for any tax cuts in this Budget. Instead, we have argued for the construction of 5,000 public homes, and the funding of Sláintecare (a new national strategy to build our public healthcare system) as the central points of our proposals.

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are having a phoney war over tax cuts that will amount to between €2 and €4 per week for middle-income families. We have said that cutting school costs, reducing college fees by €1,000 next year, eliminating hospital inpatient charges, and increasing the public subsidy of childcare would save families a lot more

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Permanent link | Categories: Agriculture • Arts Sport & Tourism • Children • Communications • Community Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs • Consumer Affairs • Defence • Education • Enterprise Trade & Employment • Environment • Equality • Finance • Foreign & European Affairs • Health • Justice • Marine & Natural Resources • Northern Ireland • Social & Family Affairs • Transport

Opposition to Enda Kenny’s visit to Trump chimes with Labour values

Posted on February 08, 2017

In the Irish Times, Brendan Howlin has written about why Labour will continue to oppose Trump.

Five years ago, Fianna Fáil was struggling. They were attracting less support than they had received even in the 2011 election, and they were riven with internal divisions that resulted in Eamon Ó Cuív being sacked from the Fianna Fáil frontbench.

That a party which so spectacularly mismanaged our economy and oversaw the arrival of the troika has once more gain significant public support is encouraging for those of us in the Labour Party who worked to undo that damage, and who believe the the values of social democracy endure.

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Permanent link | Categories: Enterprise Trade & Employment • Equality • Foreign & European Affairs • Social & Family Affairs • Brendan Howlin •

Brendan Howlin on the Irish Times podcast

Posted on February 02, 2017

 Listen below to the The Irish Times podcast with Brendan Howlin. In the podcast, Brendan chats to Hugh Linehan and Fiach Kelly about #LabourRebuild, our upcoming party conference and the state of social democracy in these changing times. Have a listen below,

Permanent link | Categories: Arts Sport & Tourism • Communications • Consumer Affairs • Enterprise Trade & Employment • Environment • Equality • Finance • Foreign & European Affairs • Justice • Northern Ireland • Transport • Brexit • Brendan Howlin •

Day 17 : #GE16 Equality is the Keystone of What we Believe

Posted on February 19, 2016

Today with launched our plan for a more modern, equal Ireland with Tánaiste Joan Burton, Minister Jan O'Sullivan and former Deputy Leader of our party, Liz McManus.

[Read our Plan for a more modern, equal Ireland here]

If re-elected to Govenment, we will tackle gender pay issues by ensuring large companies and public sector employers make public the details their own internal pay gaps in order to stimulate stronger action towards pay equality.

Highlighting the gender pay gap with Tánaiste Joan Burton, Jan O Sullivan and Liz McManus #GE16

A photo posted by Labour Party (@labourparty) on Feb 19, 2016 at 2:47am PST

 Minister Jan O'Sullivan MC'd the event and spoke about the Labour Party always pushing equality forward in Ireland.

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Permanent link | Categories: Equality

#MakeItHappen

Posted on May 05, 2015

Yesterday we launched our #MakeItHappen campaign. The #MakeItHappen campaign is aimed at encouraging people who are voting YES to take practical steps to get more people to vote YES. The first activity of the campaign saw the Tánaiste Joan Burton and our Director of Elections Minister Alex White chat with three people over 70 explaining to them the need for older people to vote YES.

During the launch Minister Alex White spoke about the #MakeItHappen and the #MarRef campaigns. You can listen to what he said from the Audioboom below. 

We'll have more actions over the coming weeks so keep an eye out and do your bit to #MakeItHappen - you can keep an eye on the campaign on Twitter.

Permanent link | Categories: Equality

Check it, mate!

Posted on May 01, 2015

Deputy John Lyons teamed up with members of Labour Youth today to remind people to checktheregister.ie and make sure they can vote in the forthcoming Marriage Equality referendum.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Lyons said: “It’s extremely worrying that 120,000 young people are still not registered to vote. On May 22^nd this generation will have a historic chance to break with the past and guarantee Marriage Equality for gay and lesbian couples. Polls are tightening so it’s more important than ever that everyone who wants to see a Yes vote makes sure they can have their say on the 22^nd.”

Labour Youth National Chairperson Jack Eustace called this month's referendum a  "defining moment in our country’s history".

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Permanent link | Categories: Equality

Labour's Marriage Equality #MarRef campaign launched in Dublin

Posted on April 27, 2015

Yesterday we officially launched our Marriage Equality referendum campaign in Dublin’s Smock Alley theatre.

Party members, members of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), Cllrs and members of the public all filled the beautiful hall to hear speeches from the Tánaiste Joan Burton, Director of Elections Minister Alex White, the chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party Deputy Jack Wall, the President of USI Laura Harmon and Norah Casey.

The Tánaiste said by voting yes ‘we are also telling these couples, their parents, their siblings, their friends and work colleagues as well as society as a whole that their relationships are equally worthy, equally legitimate, equally permanent, and equally valued’.

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Permanent link | Categories: Equality

#MarRef is about people and people's lives, Labour's meeting in Cork hears

Posted on April 17, 2015

Last night Labour held a packed public meeting on Marriage Equality. The evening was chaired by Minister Kathleen Lynch and the speakers included the Tánaiste Joan Burton, Joe Noonan and TJ from Yes Equality, Cork, Laura Harmon, President of USI, Conor O’Mahony from UCC School of Law and Valerie Mulcahy, Cork Ladies Football.

Listen to the Tánaiste's contribution to the meeting  

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Permanent link | Comments | Categories: Equality

#VoteWithUs - Joan

Posted on March 19, 2015

The Tánaiste Joan Burton has made a short video for Vote With Us asking viewers to vote with us on Marriage Equality. In the video the Tánaiste talks about a woman she met recently who wants what every Irish parent wants for their child, to be a full and equal citizen in their own country. 

We'll share more videos from our Labour reps over the coming weeks as they explain why they're voting Yes in the forthcoming referendum. 

(Vote with us is compiling videos from people from all over Ireland, and abroad, who want to share the reasons why they’ll vote YES for equal marriage on May 22nd.)

Permanent link | Categories: Equality