#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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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,

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Day 15 #GE16 : We're Standing Up for Irish Culture

Posted on February 17, 2016

Today we launched our plan for promoting arts, culture and heritage in the Project Arts Centre with Tánaiste Joan Burton, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Kevin Humphreys and Tony Award winning director Garry Hynes.

Ireland is a country with an extraordinarily rich heritage on which to base our cultural identity. Who we are as a people is firmly grounded in an outstanding foundation of artistic and cultural achievement and excellence. We believe that participation in and enjoyment of the arts and our cultural institutions should be for the many, not the few. That’s why we will push for greater access and more innovative uses of our artistic and cultural resources to the benefit of all our citizens.

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Our vision for renewed prosperity to be built on rock of fiscal responsibility and investment

Posted on April 28, 2015

Speaking during the Spring Statements today Minister Brendan Howlin said we must not allow this country to return to the devastating cycle of boom-and-bust that has been the hallmark of previous governments. 

He said: "We must learn the lessons of the past decade and not repeat the mistakes that brought us to ruin. Our vision and plans for renewed prosperity will not be built on the sand of short-term and unsustainable increases in Government spending.  It will be built on the rock of fiscal responsibility and investment in the productive capacity of our people."

Minister Howlin said our task now is to map the next phase of our nation’s journey.  

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The Six-Goal Plan

Posted on March 14, 2012

"Who would you say has the best legs?" *

Such was the calibre of the commentary on the sidelines from a Government Minister last night as Fine Gael donned a maroon strip and took on their coalition comrades in a clash of the ash.

In an idea conceived to build on the team spirit of the Government coalition partners it was an evening featuring sweat, more sweat, swagger and the odd dirty tackle.

Fine Gael fielded a team that included Paudie Coffey, a former county hurler to face a Labour squad with a county champion hurler from Tipperary (Ger Slattery) and a Deputy who has played hurling at every single level for his county, the man of the match; the mighty Jack Wall.

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Our Plan for the Rural Economy

Posted on February 15, 2011

(Left to right) Deputy Ruairi Quinn, Cllr Tom Fortune, Deputy Sean Sherlock and Deputy Mary Upton.

"As a Dail Deputy representing a largely rural constituency I have a particular interest in the potential of the agri-food sector and the wider bio-economy," said Labour's Spokesperson for Agriculture and Food, Séan Sherlock. Speaking with Mary Upton TD, Ruairi Quinn TD and Wicklow candidate Cllr Tom Fortune at the launch of Labour's Plan for the Rural Economy he said "Ireland has a prime opportunity to make a quantum leap in food production through the export of food products.

(Download our Plan for the Rural Economy here.)

"Irish agriculture needs to position itself to take advantage of new markets, a growing world population and a move towards more market-driven policies at EU level, which is pushing up demand for quality food products.

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Labour's Plan for Sporting Communities

Posted on February 13, 2011

Cllr John Gilroy, Johnny Giles and Cllr Aodhan ORiordain at the launch of Labour's Plan for Sporting Communities

"Labour's approach to sport is simple; we need to build participation from the bottom up, while also supporting our elite athletes from the top down," said Eamon Gilmore TD at the launch of Labour's Plan for Sporting Communities, "Sport should be something that happens in the community, not exclusively behind high walls or expensive membership fees."

Accompanied by soccer legend John Giles, and Labour Candidates Cllr Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, (Dublin North Central) and John Gilroy, (Cork North Central) he proposed a complete reinvention of Ireland's Sport Policy, based on rigorous support for sport at the heart of our communities.

[Download our Plan for Sporting Communities from our policy section.]

Accessibility

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National Ploughing Championships 2010

Posted on September 23, 2010

The Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore TD with rugby legend Paul O'Connell at the National Ploughing Championships 2010.

A scrum of well-wishers turned out to see the Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore TD as he met rugby legend Paul O'Connell at the National Ploughing Championsips yesterday, you can see more images from the day as we upload them to Flickr.

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A Level Playing Field

Posted on September 02, 2010

The Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore TD at the launch of the Labour sporting policy document 'A Level Playing Field'.

A Level Playing Field - by Mary Upton TD

Ireland is a sports mad country. From Italia 90, the Rugby Grand Slam, the All Ireland's or the thousands of local and county leagues sport occupies a central role in Irish society and in Irish peoples lives. As party spokesperson on sports I have been working on a Sports Policy for several months now together with members from across the party.

Participating in Sport and Physical Exercise has huge personal benefits in terms of personal health and community integration. While we are a sports mad country, the research shows your education, your economic status and your gender play a significant role in determining your level of participation in sport and physical activity.

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Extending the Welcomes - Labour Policies to Sustain and Develop the Tourism Industry

Posted on May 24, 2010

Yesterday against the backdrop of the weekend's glorious weather, the Labour Party Spokesperson on Tourism, Mary Upton TD launched our comprehensive strategic policy document on tourism 'Extending the Welcome', which sets out the policy actions required to protect out tourists industry and make it ready for the 21st century

Also attending the launch was the Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore TD.

Speaking at the launch Deputy Upton stated "I have been working on this document for a number of months. During this time I have consulted with a large number of party members and held a forum at the party conference in Galway. The word that kept coming back to me was just how important tourism was in certain areas. And the figures back this up.

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