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EVERY WEEKDAY EVENING, The Journal brings you five of the biggest stories of the day.
1. #WINTER SURGE: Hospitals continue to come under huge strain from the spread of respiratory infections, with a record 931 patients without a bed this morning.
2. #PROPERTY CRISIS: The average house price is now 7.7 times the average wage, according to a new report from MyHome.ie, shy of the 8.1 figure reached during the Celtic Tiger.
3. #KERRY: Six men appeared in court earlier this morning in connection with a stabbing incident at a Direct Provision centre over the weekend.
4. #OUTBREAK: The strength of the response by the gay community to mpox was key to bringing its spread under control, health experts have said. How Ireland tackled the virus is examined as part of a wider Noteworthy infection into reform of the health system.
5. #POPE EMERITUS: Queues of people snaked around St Peter’s Square in the Vatican for a second day as they wait to view the body of former pope Benedict XVI.
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The Social Democrats didn’t support water charges, JobBridge and cuts to health, education and social welfare like Labour did in government.
Seems a very clear difference to me.
@Rochelle Hart: I have zero doubt that at the first whiff of power the Soc Dems would change their tune.
Holly Cairns was a good vocal voice for Palestine for months but was quick with the hand wringing when it came time for Leo to meet Joe.
@Hayagriva: They had an opportunity to prop up this current FF/FG government in 2020 and refused.
@Rochelle Hart: the Soc Dems didn’t exist then. Indeed, some in their party were in the Labour Party at the time you refer to
@Hayagriva: so you would deny them power on the basis of your speculation? Interesting.
@Seanfhear míshásta: of course not, just saying I won’t be surprised when they inevitably change their tone
@SYaxJ2Ts: The Soc Dems were formed in 2015 and doubled their TDs to six in the 2020 election, so I think your sense of history is a little off…
Labour is a toxic brand, and if there’s any merging going on, they should merge into the SD’s, rather than the other way around
@Sean OhAnnrachain: great point and it’s even more toxic given the behaviour of its equivalent in england
@Sean OhAnnrachain: makes the most sense, Labour being the only party to be held accountable for their actions in the history of the state. (maybe PDS?, more a slow demise perhaps).
He is correct and right. Labour should be subsumed into the Social Democrats.
@Seanfhear míshásta: A merge would suggest the Social Democrat and Labour Party. Seems familiar branding.
The SDs don’t have the history of Labour .
The haven’t sold out unlike the Labour Party in Ireland.
The SDs shouldn’t merge or join with Labour lest they’re be tarnished aswell
All 3 would have Ireland looking like the third world within 5 years.
There’s a massive difference. Labour is posh socialism. A legacy of college gatherings and tea parties. Soc Dems represent working class people and a better fairer society. What Labour used to be.
Commies
The cheeky of Aon Riordan wanting the progressive democrats to join up with Labour. We all know what happened when the Democratic left took over Labour. The only part of Labour left was their name. The worst health minister we ever had wiped the floor with Rosin Shortall during that government, Rosin was one of the best Labour T.Ds that they ever had.Not one of the Labour party sided with her, that’s how the Progressive Democrats were born . Labour is just a name now and they deserve all the loss they have got.
@Patrick Treacy: Apologies. Progressive Democrats should be Social Democrats. The years are beginning to show.
have your say