#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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Day 10 #GE16 : We're Moving Towards a new National Community Health Service

Posted on February 12, 2016

Today we launched our plan for moving towards a new National Community Health Service in Cork with Tánaiste Joan Burton, Minister Kathleen Lynch and our candidate in Cork South-Central, Ciarán Lynch. By 2021, we will achieve significant steps towards the full rollout of Universal Health Care. We will provide free access to GP care, develop more nurse-led services, lower the cost of medicines and increase funding for primary care, community care and our hospitals. 

[You can read our full plan for a New National Community Health Service here]

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Permanent link | Categories: Health

Cross-border delegation meet to discuss Autism Act

Posted on May 15, 2013

In this post Deputy Michael McCarthy writes about his Autism Bill

A recent survey by Irish Autism Action found that for every person diagnosed with autism in Ireland, five people are affected.

That means that around 300,000 people in Ireland are affected everyday directly or indirectly by the condition.

The Autism Bill, which I pioneered in March, is an historic opportunity for the Government to effect positive change in the lives of these people.

However, for it to be effective, we must learn from other jurisdictions where autism-specific legislation is already in place.

That is why today, along with Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, I was delighted to welcome a cross-border delegation at Government Buildings to discuss the Autism Act, which passed in Northern Ireland in 2011.

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Permanent link | Comments | Categories: Health

Deputy McCarthy writes about launching his Autism Bill in the Dáil

Posted on March 08, 2013

In this post Deputy Michael McCarthy writes about the Autism Bill he launched in the Dáil today. 

I was immensely proud to launch the Autism Bill in the Dáil today and that it received the full support of the Minister for Health, James Reilly, not to mention an overwhelming amount of cross-party support.
An enlightening and robust debate took place in the Chamber about the Bill and many constructive views were put forward by fellow TDs. It was a fine example of how legislators of all hues can come together and work positively with one another to further a common cause which has, at its core, the aim of creating a more constructive society.

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Labour stands ready to legislate

Posted on November 28, 2012

Last night Minister of State Kathleen Lynch spoke in the Dáil about the publication of the Expert Group report on the A, B and C v Ireland judgement saying that Labour stands ready to legislate. You can see what she said in the accompanying video or read her speech which is detailed below. You can read the report at this link.

I wish to thank Deputy Daly and her colleagues for raising this important matter in the Dáil and for their valuable work in attempting to frame this complex legal and medical issue in a legislative proposal.

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Government decides the location for the new Children's Hospital

Posted on November 06, 2012

Today the Government announced the location of the new Children's Hospital at St James's Hospital, representing the most important single building project in the State. The delivery of the National Children's Hospital was a key Labour commitment before the General Election and in the Programme for Government.

Funding for the project was ring-fenced by the Government last year and will pave the way for the construction of a hospital that will be of benefit to many future generations of children.

Minister Alex White said: "A building alone has no value without the health professionals to ensure the highest quality of care. This decision by Government will ensure the strongest possible concentration of clinical excellence being brought to bear on the treatment of sick children."

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Leaders' Questions, September 20th 2012

Posted on September 20, 2012

This morning's Leaders' Questions is now on You Tube and you can watch the proceedings from the accompanying video. Among the issues debated were health, child poverty and property tax.

Permanent link | Categories: Children • Health

Stimulus Package another step on path to recovery

Posted on July 17, 2012

A €2 ¼ billion infrastructure Stimulus Plan has been announced today by Minister Brendan Howlin, representing a step in the right direction on the path to recovery with the creation of 13,000 jobs, €280m investment in education, €115m in health, €850m in transport, €190m in justice and €1.4b in projects that meet key infrastructural needs.

Among the projects to benefit will be the development and rejuvenation of a campus for the Dublin Institute of Technology at Grangegorman; the upgrading of the N17/N18 Gort to Tuam motorway and the M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy project.

Other projects include €190m to be invested in the State Pathology Laboratory, two new Garda headquarters as well as the provision of two bundles of primary care centres comprising of up to 10 centres.

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Permanent link | Comments | Categories: Education • Finance • Health • Justice • Transport

Leaders' Questions May 10 2012

Posted on May 10, 2012

Leaders' Questions from this morning is now live on You Tube, the topics discussed this morning were the Stability Treaty and patients on trolleys.

Permanent link | Comments | Categories: Foreign & European Affairs • Health

Capital Investment Plan announced - Labour prioritises schools, hospitals and job creation

Posted on November 10, 2011

The Labour Party has prioritised schools, hospitals and job creation in the Government's capital spending programme announced this afternoon.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin TD, set out the Government's capital spending programme saying: "Clearly we are now living in different economic times. This report, by necessity, is about priorities... Our priorities as a Government are clear and are manifest in this plan. In summary: jobs, schools and health."

Among the priorities include 40 new schools, a new National Children's Hospital, job creation, the linking of the two LUAS lines, the Railway Safety Programme, replacement buses and upgrades of existing QBCs.

You can read what Minister Howlin said in his announcement in our media centre, and you can see the full document below.

Permanent link | Comments | Categories: Education • Finance • Health