The Green Party has today welcomed the news that the Criminal Justice (Rehabilitative Periods) Bill 2018 will proceed to Second Stage in Dáil Éireann. During Government negotiations, the Green Party fought to ensure that there was a clear commitment to progressing reform for minor offences in the Programme for Government and is very pleased to…

Today Patrick Costello TD wrote to the Minister for the OPW requesting the expansion of the opening hours of the grounds of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Full letter text: Dear Minister O’Donovan, I am writing to you today in my capacity as TD for Dublin South-Central on behalf of my constituents to request the expansion…

I welcome the opportunity to make a submission on the next National Access Plan which will run from 2022 to 2026, which seeks to widen participation and equity of access to higher education. In this regard, I propose the introduction of a Designated Staff Member for care leaver’s in Higher Education, which would improve the…

Green Party Spokesperson for Justice and TD for Dublin South-Central, Deputy Patrick Costello, has called on the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, to provide funding in Budget 2022 for the establishment of a national support service for parents with children in care. His calls come ahead of a Topical being…

Full speech transcript: What I wish to raise as a Topical Issue matter is the issue of support for parents who are engaged with Tusla in respect of child protection concerns and whose children are in care. The reality is that this is a group of parents are often quite stigmatised and receive very little…

On the fourth Anniversary of delivery of the Mulchay Report examining allegations of planning corruption In Donegal, Green Party TD for Dublin South-Central, Deputy Patrick Costello, has called on the Department of Housing and Minister Darragh O’Brien to publish the Review Mr. Rory Mulcahy S.C. without further delay. The report was first presented to the…

Green Party Spokesperson for Justice and TD for Dublin South-Central, Deputy Patrick Costello, has raised concerns in the Dáíl at the serious delays in the redevelopment of Labre Park in Ballyfermot and the continued failure to provide the Traveller Community with appropriate accommodation. Speaking on Statements on Traveller Accommodation on Thursday, he said: “Earlier this…

Last week during statements on Traveller accommodation I highlighted the struggles that the residents of Labre Park in my constituency have gone through. We need to enshrine a right to housing in the constitution to ensure that all our citizens have proper legal basis for human dignity in accommodation. Full speech transcript: I welcome the…

Deputy Patrick Costello speaks at the Oireachtas Committee for the Implementation of the Good Friday Committee. This meeting saw family members of those murdered at Ballymurphy in 1971 appear before the committee in light of the released report on the incident.

Patrick Costello TD calls for recognition of the annexation, enacting the Occupied Territories Bill and recognition of the state of Palestine. Full speech transcript: While I agree with most or all of what has been said so far in the Chamber, I want to take a small step back and a step forward. I want…