Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Social Democrats hold their first annual conference - and vow to remove 'the baptism barrier'

The party has unveiled its constitution for the first time, and appointed its national executive.

19/11/2016.Pictured Social Democrats TDs Catherin Catherine Murphy (l) and Roisín Shortall Leah Farrell Leah Farrell

THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS have held their first national conference at the Convention Centre in Dublin.

The event saw the party, which has been in existence since July 2015, establish its constitution and make certain key appointments.

About 400 people were in attendance at the event.

The party has two TDs, Catherine Murphy and Róisín Shortall. Stephen Donnelly stood down from the party in September. It ran 14 candidates in the last February’s election, but, despite a number of close-run races, failed to return more than the three TDs than it entered the election with.

Last night’s leaders’ speech was shared by party TDs Shortall and Murphy.

Shortall called for a “revolution of hope… of ambition” within Irish society. She said that last year’s marriage referendum had “proved that Irish people are fair”.

“The challenge now is to bring that same thirst for an equal Ireland; that same passion for social justice to all facets of public life in Ireland,” she said.

And we have to start by addressing poverty.

Murphy meanwhile asked the delegates present “to imagine something with me”.

“Let’s imagine how different Ireland could be 10 years from now,” she said.

19/11/2016.Pictured are people at the Social Dem Delegates in attendance at the conference Leah Farrell Leah Farrell

An Ireland without the indignity of homelessness. An Ireland where homes are affordable, where tenure is secure and communities where people are proud to live.
Tonight, we are setting out our vision. We are setting out on a road to translate that vision into plans people can believe in, and people will join with, to help make happen.

Constitution and policy

The party took the opportunity last night to publicly unveil its constitution and to set out certain policy objectives.

Specific policy priorities announced include:

  • The removal of “the baptism barrier” so that people “can attend their local schools, regardless of religious beliefs”
  • Repeal of the Official Secrets Act
  • Ending zero-hour contracts and implementing a living wage
  • Linking of rents to the Consumer Price Index
  • Establishing an anti-corruption agency
  • Ending child poverty by 2021

Meanwhile, a number of appointments were made to the party’s national executive, with “women claiming the top spots” as announced in its own press material.

Businesswoman and 2016 election candidate Glenna Lynch has been elected chair of the executive, with Limerick branch chairperson Sarah Jane Hennelly elected vice chair.

“I am delighted to become chair of the first national executive of the Social Democrats,” Lynch said in the aftermath of her election.

I became involved in politics because I simply don’t accept that we in Ireland are incapable of managing a society that allows every person on this island to meet their full potential.  We are more than capable.
Ireland needs a contemporary party, rooted in today’s realities, driven by a strategic evidence-based approach.  That’s the party we are starting to build.

Read: Notorious right-wing American website to expand to France in advance of Le Pen presidential run

Read: Less than half of this year’s tax defaulters have paid up in full

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
55 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Nick
    Favourite Nick
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 8:56 AM

    If they think the baptism issue is the main thing on the country’s mind they may fold their tent now.

    196
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Fahey
    Favourite Paul Fahey
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 8:59 AM

    You have a child who cannot access the education system and it will become a big issue for you, but where did they say it was the biggest issue facing the country?

    181
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Phil Swan
    Favourite Phil Swan
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 9:06 AM

    It’s one of their named policy priorities but its only an issue for a handful of people. Also they’re going to need to be a majority party before they’ll get next to or near that issue. The church owns most of this country’s schools and the land they sit on. Anyone want to guess conservatively what that might cost to take on and run? Cash ain’t in the coffers for that when we’re in the middle of paying off Germany’s debt and very likely to take on more euro debt once brexit is done.

    67
    See 12 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Charlie Fogarty
    Favourite Charlie Fogarty
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 9:16 AM

    @Nick:

    “Specific policy priorities announced include” Did you even read the rest?

    67
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Val Martin
    Favourite Val Martin
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 9:26 AM

    @Nick: I saw a 5 years old child ran out of the Catholic school in Monaghan back in the late 1980′s. His mother married a protestant and they lived near me. The boy was a friend of my lad. Both headed off to school in the Christian brother sponsored national school first day. My lad was baptised a catholic but he was not. So they ran him out to hell and I drove the mother down to collect him. I never went back to mass again. I will bet Nick is one of these lads who thinks any injustice is all right so long as we pay all our spare cash into climate change hysteria

    63
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Val Martin
    Favourite Val Martin
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 9:52 AM

    @Paul Fahey: So, its group think all the way?

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Roy Dowling
    Favourite Roy Dowling
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 9:54 AM

    @ Paul Fahey. I’ve a child he’s 2 and not baptised, this still isn’t the highest priority for me.

    42
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen McManus
    Favourite Stephen McManus
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 10:41 AM

    Do you have a plan in place to get a school place for your child or are you just not thinking much about it?

    44
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P.J. Nolan
    Favourite P.J. Nolan
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 10:51 AM

    @Stephen McManus:
    In fairness Stephen not everywhere has a shortage of places. Some schools especially in rural areas would take Klingons if it meant keeping them from being closed.

    24
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen McManus
    Favourite Stephen McManus
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 11:55 AM

    @P.J. Nolan: that is true. What I was trying to understand was why would Roy be so casual about his child being discriminated against by a system that he helps fund.

    When i registered my first, there was a question on the form “child’s religion’. I replied ‘the child hasn’t decided yet’. My wife got a phone call and was told they wouldn’t process the application unless the question was clearly answered. We did, he was in fact baptised, but I find this way of operating education absolutely unacceptable and hope it changes soon.

    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Danny Rafferty
    Favourite Danny Rafferty
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 12:18 PM

    Soryy to have to correct you Phil, but it bugs me when people venture into post-truth. That debt is from banks run in Ireland, “governed” by the Irish central bank and foisted onto the Irish people by inept and corrupt FF and FG politicians. It’s f***all to do with Germany or the EU so cop on to yourself, grow up and quit with the lies.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P.J. Nolan
    Favourite P.J. Nolan
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 12:20 PM

    @Stephen McManus:
    Agreed. I guess we were lucky we had a choice between church of Ireland, Roman catholic or an educate together for our 2, went RC because we though it was the best run, in fairness it is well run.
    Delighted to see my 10 year old has developed a healthy disregard for the church bit!
    Their cousins go to a smaller COI school in the same town, even thought they are baptised catholic.

    My point is while the ethos of a school may be important to some, it is what you make of it.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen McManus
    Favourite Stephen McManus
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 12:30 PM

    @P.J. Nolan: I am with you all the way until your last statement. Half an hour of daily indoctrination and praying four times a day (in the case of my daughter) is a deliberate attempt to influence a five year old to the furthest possible degree that the law allows. Your child, and mine thankfully, see through it, but this is *in spite* of the RCC’s efforts.

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Keith Gregg
    Favourite Keith Gregg
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 1:11 PM

    Actually, the debt was mostly to German banks. The Germans forced us into bailout

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Danny Rafferty
    Favourite Danny Rafferty
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 4:01 PM

    Are you making a point Keith? You borrow money you pay it back. It was not Germany’s fault we couldn’t run our own banking system. I have no time for people trying to shirk responsibility and shifting blame on to the EU. If it was the other way round we’d have told them f off too.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P.J. Nolan
    Favourite P.J. Nolan
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 9:33 AM

    Murphy and Shortall are genuine people but without Donnelly they are just another left wing party in a sea of small left wing parties.

    What’s going to make them stand out to people in the centre?

    The recent jump in support for AAA came by taking support from labour and SF, how is that going to change things?

    Unless parties can attract some of the middle ground FF and FG will control things

    142
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute For Connolly
    Favourite For Connolly
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 1:25 PM

    @P.J. Nolan: “What’s going to make them stand out to people in the centre?”

    I’d say he fact that they are setting a benchmark for integrity, incorruptibility and holding the powerful to account. That has to be worth a vote. I’ve an excellent SD candidate in my constituency as well who I’d definitely consider giving a high preference to.

    Without Donnelly also, I reckon theres a likelihood that they’ll sign up for the right2change charter, opening them up to votes from the largest citizen led movement in the history of the state, the right2water protesters.

    45
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute NO 2 FF/FG/LAB
    Favourite NO 2 FF/FG/LAB
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 2:03 PM

    FF / FG / LAB support has dropped 40% since 2011. Surely those votes have gone somewhere ?

    15
    See 5 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P.J. Nolan
    Favourite P.J. Nolan
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 3:18 PM

    @For Connolly:
    I agree with the first paragraph, had there been a SD candidate in my constituency in the last election he/she would have got a high preference from me.

    If they sign up to right to change IMO only moves them to the left which may be what you want but In order to win an election someone is going to take votes from FF/FG and I don’t think many supporters of the right to change voted FF/FG.
    We need a middle of the road party that people who don’t believe in hard left policies can vote for without having to resort to FF/FG.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P.J. Nolan
    Favourite P.J. Nolan
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 3:27 PM

    @NO 2 FF/FG/LAB:
    The overall figure you gave may well be right but let’s break that down.
    FG are on 25%, if you were to take an average of there results over the last 30 odd years they are around 25%.
    FF used to call themselves centre left but they have well and truly lost the socialist element of there vote. That went to labour in 2011 and moved on to SF and independents this year along with the rest of labours vote.
    Bottom line is FF/FGs vote seems to have stabilized and IF you believe the polls could be rising. We are still a long way from a left lead government

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Reilly
    Favourite Michael Reilly
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 3:51 PM

    @P.J. Nolan: I voted for one of their excellent candidates in the last election. Their enthusiasm during the election was impressive but post election they joined the band of naysayers on forming a government. I had expected them to be in the thick of it trying to get some of their policies to effect change included.
    Now their two remaining deputies remind me of the two guys in the balcony in the Muppets whinging about everything and going nowhere.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Micheal OLainn
    Favourite Micheal OLainn
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 4:18 PM

    @P.J. Nolan: My impression of the Social Democrats is that it is a centre left party and not a true left wing party as such.

    The Sicial Democrats Party occupies the space previously held by the Labour Party before the Labour Party took a sharp swing to the right of Fine Gael.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P.J. Nolan
    Favourite P.J. Nolan
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 4:51 PM

    @Micheal OLainn:
    With Donnelly in place I would certainly have agreed with you, without him I’m not so sure.
    Time will tell I guess

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Val Martin
    Favourite Val Martin
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 9:18 AM

    I agree that the grip of the Catholic Church must be removed from education. Its terrible to punish children because their parents don’t practice religion. We need a constitutional amendment. This is nothing to do with socialism. Socialism has been conquered by the green/liberal/communist lefties.

    67
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe
    Favourite Joe
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 2:51 PM

    Val Martin

    Why “MUST” the grip of the CC be removed from Catholic schools?

    “MUST” the control of golf clubs be removed from golfers.

    It is for the government to provide for non-religious education.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Micheal OLainn
    Favourite Micheal OLainn
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 4:20 PM

    @Val Martin: far right extremism and political fundamentalism tend to associate with religious fundamentalism.

    8
    See 4 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P.J. Nolan
    Favourite P.J. Nolan
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 4:54 PM

    @Joe:
    You fo know that it’s the government that pays for your religious education….

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P.J. Nolan
    Favourite P.J. Nolan
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 5:00 PM

    @P.J. Nolan:
    You do know….

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Val Martin
    Favourite Val Martin
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 6:54 PM

    @Joe: Golf clubs receive no State money, Catholic Schools are entirely funded from my taxes. Why should I pay for religious discrimination. I have no problem with the schools being catholic and teaching catholic faith to those who want it, but those who don’t should be accommodated.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Patrick J. O'Rourke
    Favourite Patrick J. O'Rourke
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 7:44 PM

    Who pays the salaries of the teachers and for the upkeep of the schools? If the Church does then fine, if not then religion should have no place in the running of the school.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Frederick Burden
    Favourite Frederick Burden
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 9:25 AM

    I would have thought the vow to end child poverty was the main initiative in terms of social progress and should be the headline.
    Guess this is what happens when you live in a post truth society.
    Ideology takes precedence over pragmatism.

    45
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Val Martin
    Favourite Val Martin
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 9:30 AM

    @Frederick Burden: This is the green liberal commie leftie baloney. They forget about clearly identifiable injustices which can be fixed like religious discrimination against children and crave broad unidentifiable general injustices which cannot be identified or fixed. Meanwhile promote fuel poverty, and unemployment due to green prohibitions on fossil fuel use which ensure the destruction of manufacturing industry and prosperity

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute F J D
    Favourite F J D
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 8:53 AM

    Sexist bunch

    43
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cram Wood
    Favourite Cram Wood
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 8:59 AM

    The priorities are acutally symptoms. Treating a symptom does not eradicate a disease. The need to look a the reasons for the disease. But they won’t find the disease because Liberals don’t understand the core issues.

    42
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Charlie Fogarty
    Favourite Charlie Fogarty
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 9:08 AM

    @Cram Wood:

    Please explain what these core issues are.

    39
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Daniel Wilson
    Favourite Daniel Wilson
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 9:58 AM

    F*cking ridiculous.

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dermot Quinn
    Favourite Dermot Quinn
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 8:47 AM

    All very noble. Never going to happen mind but noble all the same.

    40
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Charlie Fogarty
    Favourite Charlie Fogarty
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 9:14 AM

    @Dermot Quinn:

    Ah yeah. Sure why bother…It’s that attitude that allows these things to continue.

    94
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Val Martin
    Favourite Val Martin
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 9:34 AM

    @Dermot Quinn: You are right. Just like Britain and the USA, we have to get our country back from the global elites and green monsters. I don’t see the rise of a Trump/Farage like figure in Ireland. The only hope is the break of the EU, its a great pity but our people have been brainwashed and our children are currently undergoing a programme of green brainwashing unequaled in history.

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute AOIFE
    Favourite AOIFE
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 9:03 AM

    Baptism bar ?? Their idiots !

    37
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pa Cantillon
    Favourite Pa Cantillon
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 9:16 AM

    @AOIFE:Try again.

    75
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Richard Keogh
    Favourite Richard Keogh
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 10:35 AM

    Their(sic) idiots says someone who doesn’t know the difference between they’re and their.

    43
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe
    Favourite Joe
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 3:33 PM

    Richard Keogh

    But you understood what she said, what’s the problem?

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute leartius
    Favourite leartius
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 10:44 AM

    It’s a good place to start admitting the failures of our system of goverment inherited from a civil war in this country. 1916 we spent 28 million euros on celebrating the 13 men killed by the British. For now until 2023 how do we celebrate those killed by our own hands that totalled 153 Irish men, women and children, we are fed a story that the English are at fault for the ills that beset this island. “Incapable of managing a society”. We have contuined to elect the same party’s for so long that the people involve live on a different planet. Change must come for the farmers,workers, family’s,carers, elderly and those suffering illness all these groups are left fighting for scraps when it comes to funding. But. The reality is unless people get involved then every policy’s any party brings forward only covers a small majority of the population. Can we change enough or will we be forever beaten. It starts with something basic, picking up your rubbish instead of littering.. Volunteering on a Sunday morning to cleanup around your town or village. For any party to break FF/FG stranglehold on our nation they would need to run two or three candidates per area, one may top the poll and still loose. They issues that this country face are clear to everyone but they are not making there way to those introducing legislation. We all now know why the vultures came because the gates were opened by those who talk about austerity but never felt it. Privilaged still rules this country.

    31
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean O'Connor
    Favourite Sean O'Connor
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 12:57 PM

    What is their immigration policy?

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Phil Swan
    Favourite Phil Swan
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 9:00 AM

    Was this not already tried and wonderfully failed under the name progressive democrats? We only ever vote one party on this island – FGFFSF party.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Charlie Fogarty
    Favourite Charlie Fogarty
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 9:09 AM

    @Phil Swan:

    They are not the PDs.

    52
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P.J. Nolan
    Favourite P.J. Nolan
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 1:05 PM

    @Charlie Fogarty:
    Ha ha comparing the SDs to the PDs is quite a stretch

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tomboktu
    Favourite Tomboktu
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 10:35 AM

    I hope they fight the ‘Traveller barrier’ to school admissions as vigorously.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute vNblxOSQ
    Favourite vNblxOSQ
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 10:28 AM

    I like their goals and I’m a fan on Murphy but I hope they don’t limit themselves to a purely female cabal. They#ll evaporate in short term if so.
    Maybe that’s why Donnelly left

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Micheal OLainn
    Favourite Micheal OLainn
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 4:23 PM

    @vNblxOSQ: a far right wing individual would probably find very little in the policies of the Social Democrats to support.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Get Lost Eircodes
    Favourite Get Lost Eircodes
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 4:56 PM

    Will there be a quota for male candidates?

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Irish big fellow
    Favourite Irish big fellow
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 1:34 PM

    Breaking with the EU? Where do we go thereafter. Oh yes join Trump and his newly formed right wing mob or revert back to the UK as part of their new Brexit State. Lest we forget many positive changes occurred during our time as members of the EEC/EU. We had f*ck all as a state in the 60′s and 70′s prior to the participation of the EEC. Agriculture was on its knees and our industrial base was weak and poorly skilled. All or young went to the UK to work as labourers or domestics/nurses. Most children wore hand me down clothing and third level education was available foe the privileged few.
    We had no traffic congestion as there were very few cars and most had to hire a hackney to get anywhere as the bus system was poorly organised.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jarrett moon
    Favourite Jarrett moon
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 12:01 PM

    Pass the evening primrose oil.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alois Irlmaier
    Favourite Alois Irlmaier
    Report
    Nov 20th 2016, 2:09 PM

    Flogging a dead horse me thinks?

    6
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds