Aside from being unfair to NAPCP members who have worked hard to meet rigorous professional requirements, for the HSE to continue with these exclusionary hiring practices would be gravely irresponsible and potentially damaging to members of the public - many of whom are not currently receiving the care that they need.

Botox is the brand name of one of the products containing the nerve poison botulinum toxin. The toxin is used for medical and increasingly for cosmetic applications. A small injection causes facial wrinkles to disappear. But the price for the short term 'beauty' is paid by the suffering and death of thousands of mice. Each batch is tested using the LD50 test before it reaches consumers. A sample is injected into the abdomen of mice. The mice suffer paralysis, impaired vision and respiratory distress. After three or four days of suffering, they die from suffocation. The IAVS has supported the campaign 'Stop Botox animal testing' since 2009 to inform the public, to put pressure on the manufacturers still testing on animals as well as on authorities to speed up the validation and implementation of animal-free methods and to remove the LD50 mouse assay in the EU legislation.

The Pakistani community in Ireland are 1000s in number. They have been a part of society for many years and contribute widely to Irish society. They also have a deep rooted connection with their families overseas. Currently, Pakistanis are facing some of the worst human rights violations and political victimisation. Pakistanis around the world are exercising their right to freedom of speech to speak out against such human rights violations. Unfortunately, these Pakistanis who are using their right to freedom of expression against human rights violations back home, have been receiving threats and harassment openly from undercover agents living in Ireland. These agents have openly claimed on social media they have spied on them and leaked their data to foreign agencies which has resulted in raids/serious harassment of their families (women and children) overseas. We have already received complaints from healthcare workers whose families have been harassed and threatened back home. We strongly condemn such unlawful activities by these agents in Ireland and urge immediate action from Irish human rights and law enforcement agents against them. These agents also claim they are working in collaboration with the Pakistani Embassy in Ireland to breach personal data (GDPR) and to promote personal/political victimisation. We strongly urge the Pakistani Ambassador to Ireland to take notice of this and pass an official statement on this. Please sign and share to report such criminal activities in Ireland and to hold these agents accountable for their actions P.S. We have evidence of these agents that we can provide to the relevant authorities

There is very clear inequality: Research Staff in the Technological Universities are not allowed join the single public pension scheme. Research Staff in the Traditional Universities are, while both carry out the same jobs.

Citi, based right at the centre of the iconic Titanic Quarter in Belfast, is bankrolling the destruction of the Amazon, drilling in the Arctic. It’s even funding the company behind the proposed LNG plant in the Shannon estuary, importing filthy gas–much of it fracked–and locking us into fossil fuels for decades to come. [2] Here in Northern Ireland they’ve been given tens of millions of pounds of public money by Invest NI to operate, meaning that the climate destruction they wreak is being made possible by our own money. [3] For too long, fossil fuel CEOs have divided and distracted us with lies hoping to hide the origins and impact of the crisis they created, while they pollute our air, poison our water, and dump toxins into communities. [4] We are acting together to make sure our children are still able to enjoy beautiful landscapes and healthy nature -such as those represented by W5’s ‘In our Nature’ exhibition, in real life, for generations to come. According to your own sustainability pledge you are ’committed to reducing our environmental impact wherever possible. Placing sustainability at the heart of what we do, we pride ourselves on our forward-thinking approach.’ [5] Taking sponsorship money from the second largest funder of fossil fuel companies world-wide makes a mockery of the sustainability pledge and allows Citibank to present an image as an environmentally conscious company while they pour billions of pounds into coal, oil, and gas. It’s time to fight back on Citi’s greenwashing, and stop it funding climate chaos. We, the undersigned, are calling on W5 to end its sponsorship arrangement with Citi until it stops funding fossil fuel companies. [1] https://bank.green/banks/citi [2] https://www.bankingonclimatechaos.org/ [3] https://www.irishnews.com/business/2022/09/07/news/citi_to_create_another_400_jobs_for_fast-growing_belfast_operation-2819832/ [4] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jun/30/climate-crimes-oil-and-gas-environment [5] https://w5online.co.uk/sustainability-pledge

More benches can encourage people to walk more, as there will be a place to rest. It will be beneficial especially for our older residents or people with kids. Youngsters will also have a place to sit, so they don’t need to sit on walls or stairs to chat. Benches can connect our community and help the town being alive again. Youghal will benefit from more benches, because local people will benefit from it as well.

Gardaí have completely failed to protect LGBTQI+, migrant and other marginalised communities from far-right violence and intimidation - with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris even admitting this to be a tactic. We can still remember the violent policing approach used on the striking Debenhams workers, students and water charges protestors. There is only one fair conclusion to draw from this, and it should leave Gardaí unwelcome at Pride events.

No matter who you are, or where you come from, most of us want to have access to places where we and our families can play sports, keep fit, and build relationship with others. East Belfast GAA is one of the most fast growing sports clubs in Belfast with a proud diverse membership. It uses Henry Jones playing fields and the plans to develop it into a full-size football and full-size GAA pitch are an important sign of progress and community-building in our divided city. We offer our support to and stand with East Belfast GAA.

Currently the passport office doesn’t accept these ID cards, that are issued by the electoral office. Often times these are the only photo ID people will have - and currently the only one that is free.

According to the 2016 Census, there were 25,808 people living in the Gorey electoral area which includes Courtown. Each year the population of North Wexford expands dramatically as people move to live in the county during the summer months, and with the growth of working-from-home options, many now remain in North Wexford all year round. Added to this the number of tourists who come to spend time on our beaches, points to a clear need for an extension of lifeguarding services. The development of lifeguarding services at additional beaches in North County Wexford is key to developing and marketing our beaches as a tourist destination. The provision of accommodation, footfall to and from food outlets, local store shopping, and the development of sea-based activity/enterprises, other seasonal enterprises, will all benefit from lifeguarding additional beaches in the north county. North Wexford Open Water Swimmers aka Sammy's Swimmers is a community of over eighty swimmers of mixed abilities, from daily dippers to competitive open water swimmers (triathletes, iron (wo)men, marathon swimmers, and one channel swimmer). While the majority of members are living locally, every summer we welcome back our seasonal residents. We share a passion for the sea and surrounding coastline.

There are currently around 3,000 firefighters nationwide. Some two-thirds of this number — over 2,000 — are employed as retained rather than full-time firefighters. Retained fire service staff are paid an annual retainer to be available for call-outs, but their pay depends on the number of incidents they attend. They are allowed to work part-time jobs to supplement their income, but do so knowing that their second job must be within 2.5km of their fire station. Retained firefighters must also live within that same distance from the fire station they are attached to in order to respond “within five minutes” of being paged to report to work. “Retained firefighters are on call 24/7. They can never have a drink, can never stray too far from home, because unlike full-time firefighters, they don’t work shifts,” “They have to be available constantly. Remember the Covid 2km restriction rule in 2020 when every person in Ireland couldn’t travel outside of that radius? Welcome to the world of a retained firefighter. You are a prisoner in your own town. “Employers are understandably reluctant to hire retained firefighters on a part-time basis because we are firefighters first and foremost and we have to down tools when needed. “Previously, firefighters have been very, very reluctant to go on strike, but this time we are willing to do so. Every person who is a firefighter wants to be a firefighter. There is no difference between a full-time firefighter and a retained firefighter. The training is exactly the same. It costs €50,000 to train a firefighter and we are losing over 100 retained firefighters each year. “With or without a strike, the fire service is in compete crisis. Even if the strike does not go ahead as proposed, around 60pc of firefighters plan to quit the service within the next 18 months.” One of the main reason members were quitting “in their droves” was because it is practically impossible for retained firefighters to obtain mortgage approval because of their employment status. Another “major problem” was their lack of pension entitlements compared with full-timers. “Firefighters are always there to help any and every member in society in their darkest hour. Now every firefighter is calling for help but no one is listening. Retained firefighters feel so let down by government agencies." “All firefighters want is to be firefighters. No one wants to leave the fire service, they want to serve their communities with dignity, passion and professionalism, as they have done for decades. But their commitment is no longer sustainable unless there is a full reform of how the fire service is delivered in Ireland.”

More than 30 dogs are abandoned every day in Ireland. These animals don't have a place to call home or an owner to cuddle with. Think twice before paying hundreds for a new puppy. There are a lot of animals in cages, sad and unloved, who are willing to find a new home.