She resigned as Minister of State for Primary Care on 26 September 2012, and also resigned the Parliamentary Labour Party whip. Social Democrats On 15 July 2015, Shortall launched the Social Democrats party along with fellow Independent TDs Stephen Donnelly and Catherine Murphy. She was elected for that party at the 2016 general election and 2020 general election. In February 2022 Shortall, who is the Social Democrats' spokesperson for Health, introduced a bill in the Dáil to stop the practice of the HSE sending debt collectors to cancer patients in search of payment. The Bill also seeks an end to an inpatient charge of €80 per visit for chemo and radiotherapy, and also seeks to end extortionate parking fees. The government choose not to oppose the bill. Shortall opined that it was “frankly disgusting” that cancer patients were being pursued by debt collectors during one of the most difficult points in their lives. Each of the other opposition parties all praised the content of the bill and similarly expressed their dismay at the idea of debt collectors being used on cancer patients. On 22 February 2023, Shortall and Murphy announced that they would step down as co-leaders of the Social Democrats. They will be succeeded by Holly Cairns on 1 March. References External links 1954 births Living people Alumni of University College Dublin Alumni of Marino Institute of Education Educators of the deaf Independent TDs Irish schoolteachers Labour Party (Ireland) TDs Local councillors in Dublin (city) Members of the 27th Dáil Members of the 28th Dáil Members of the 29th Dáil Members of the 30th Dáil Members of the 31st Dáil Members of the 32nd Dáil Members of the 33rd Dáil 20th-century women Teachtaí Dála 21st-century women Teachtaí Dála Ministers of State of the 31st Dáil Social Democrats (Ireland) TDs Women ministers of state of the Republic of Ireland People from Drumcondra, Dublin