The proposed EU “Chat Control” measures would allow the mass scanning of private messages, emails, and photos, treating everyone as a suspect rather than protecting fundamental rights. This undermines the basic right to privacy and confidentiality of communications — rights that are protected under Irish law, the Irish Constitution, and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Once private, encrypted conversations are weakened or scanned, there is no way to guarantee they won’t be misused, expanded to other purposes, or abused in the future. History shows that surveillance powers, once introduced, rarely remain limited. This proposal would also harm journalists, whistleblowers, lawyers, doctors, and activists who rely on secure communications to protect sources, clients, and vulnerable people. It would weaken cybersecurity for everyone by undermining encryption, making Irish citizens and businesses less safe from hackers and data breaches. Protecting children is essential — but mass surveillance of the entire population is neither necessary nor effective to achieve this. There are better, targeted ways to combat abuse without sacrificing the privacy and freedoms of millions of innocent people. Ireland has a strong tradition of defending civil liberties and digital rights. By signing this petition, you are standing up for privacy, security, and democratic values — and sending a clear message that mass surveillance has no place in a free society.

Blister packs are really important for people with medical conditions and for older people. These are the very people who already struggle to pay bills, and keep food on the table. 

Right now, over 18,000 children across the country are overdue for an Assessment of Needs, 1,953 of them here in Kildare alone. Families are exhausted, stressed, and fighting a system that has failed them at every turn. From endless waits for primary care psychology, to 11,000 children stuck in limbo waiting for a first contact from CDNTs, to the scramble for school places and supports that simply aren’t there parents are being pushed to breaking point. Many families are trying to ensure there is early intervention for their child but are being left without vital supports. We have actually seen a reduction in the number of Speech and Language Therapists qualifying. It has gone from 370 in the academic year before the pandemic to 355 last year.  The number of therapists qualifying each year is reducing and on the other hand the government are scratching their heads wondering why they can’t fill the vacant therapist posts in CDNTs.  Children in schools are being let down too. Despite asserting that children don't need an assessment of needs to qualify for supports Parents, Teachers and school Principals know that resources are limited and children with an AON are prioritised. The Minister for Disability has announced a streamlining process for AON but hasn't detailed how this will be acomplished or set a timeline for compliance with the obligation for a 6 month assessment period for children.  We also want to see school expansions fast tracked. We hear announcements of funding but it then takes years between design stages, the tendering process, construction and the actual delivery of new classrooms. Many schools have had to convert classrooms to accommodate children with additional needs.  Please sign the petition so we can put pressure on the Government to deliver for the children in Kildare and across the country.  Melissa Byrne 

Tenants at 61 Mountjoy Square West in Dublin 1 are being evicted from their homes early next year. The landlord intends to sell the apartments, but Dublin's housing crisis means there are very few alternative homes available. Many of the tenants receive Housing Assistance Payments (HAP), including a single mother and children, and this eviction could force them into homelessness. Dublin City Council cannot standby while this happens. Dublin is responsible for nearly 70% of all homelessness in the country, with families and children bearing the brunt of this. There needs to be more done to keep people in secure housing. The Tenant-in-Situ (TiS) scheme was created for this reason, to prevent homelessness by allowing local authorities to purchase homes where tenants are at risk of no-fault evictions. It is a powerful tool to prevent eviction and keep families in their communities and homes.  Dublin City Council must use this power to purchase the apartments at Mountjoy Square. We all deserve access to safe, secure housing. It's a basic human right, not a commodity. Image: 61 Mountjoy Square West. Credit: Alekson Lacerda Dall’Armellina

We all deserve to feel safe in our homes and communities. Many people living in Edenderry have experienced going to the Gardai Station, during their posted opening hours, only to find that the public office is closed or the Gardai inside are attending to someone else, so were unable to assist them.  With the closure or seriously restricted opening hours of many surrounding stations, such as the one in Rhode Village, comes an increase demand on Edenderry station. At Present, the closest full time station to Edenderry is Tullamore, over 30 KM away. Tullamore Station is the only full time station in the whole county and as such, after hours, it covers a massive area, often leading to long lead times when the Gardai are called.  The New Gardai Commissioner and Minister for Justice, must come together to find the resources to reopen the station full time and to protect the people of Edenderry and surrounding areas. 

Calves are separated and transported too young and without proper feeding systems. Pregnant sows are confined to extreme metal-barred crates. Broiler chickens being grown at rates where they can't support their own weight, packed into overcrowded sheds.

Ireland Needs Real-Time Reporting of Sewer Discharges - Just Like the UK  Across Ireland, rivers, lakes, estuaries, bathing and coastal waters are being polluted by regular storm overflows and sewer discharges,  yet the public has no way to see when or where these events occur. Unlike the UK, Ireland has no national, real-time monitoring system to tell communities when their local waters are contaminated.  Under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations and Directives, Uisce Éireann and sanitary authorities are already legally required to monitor wastewater discharges and assess their impacts on receiving waters. But many overflows have no monitors or are not up to code. Without transparent, real-time reporting, these obligations are not meaningfully met, and the public remains unaware of pollution events happening in their own communities.   Why This Matters  • We can’t plan future wastewater capacity without accurate overflow data. Ireland cannot model infrastructure needs or comply with the Water Framework Directive if it does not quantify the true scale and frequency of sewer overflows. Real-time and historical data on CSOs are essential for evidence-based planning, upgrading the network, and preventing future pollution crises. • Public health and the environment are at risk. Untreated storm overflows often contain sewage, agricultural runoff, chemicals, and pathogens. They threaten bathing waters, drinking-water sources, shellfish areas, fisheries, wildlife, and recreation. • The technology already exists. The UK’s publicly accessible monitoring platforms — such as the National Storm Overflow Hub — show that real-time reporting is fully achievable and enormously beneficial for communities. see: https://www.streamwaterdata.co.uk/pages/the-national-storm-overflow-hub • Transparency builds trust. Citizens deserve to know when their local waters are unsafe. Real-time data empowers swimmers, anglers, families, fishers, environmental groups, and local authorities to make informed decisions. We, the undersigned, call on Uisce Éireann and the Irish Government to: 1. Fully comply with statutory obligations Ensure comprehensive monitoring of all wastewater discharges, including storm overflows and combined sewer overflows, as required under Irish and EU law. 2. Create a national, public, real-time reporting system   Build an open-access online platform (like the UK system) showing:   • when and where overflows occur, • their duration and estimated volumes, and • the type of discharge (untreated, partially treated, stormwater, etc.). 3. Use this data to plan for future capacity Commit to using real, measured overflow data to identify system weaknesses, inform capital investment, and meet long-term obligations under the Water Framework Directive and climate-resilience planning. 4. Protect our rivers, lakes, and coasts Reduce harmful discharges and ensure the public can see in real time when pollution events occur. Ireland deserves clean water, transparent reporting, and evidence-based planning.   We urge Uisce Éireann and the Irish Government to act now.  

We need to save cultural spaces from closing down. Without action we will lose all these spaces in Dublin.

The model of providing care off site from the maternity hospital exists already in other areas, within the gynaecology department in the main hospital. It is acknowledged how overburdened UHL is, but women's healthcare should not be neglected again. Providing a care pathway for those miscarrying in a site within Ennis and Nenagh for those with a confirmed miscarriage would allow the specific care needed for those patients and alleviate the need to go to UHL.  This would reduce the trauma caused to the woman and partner and allow them to focus on recovery and processing the miscarriage without the extra burden of emotional trauma by mixing miscarriage care and antenatal care.

My name is Neeth Catherine Job, and on October 20th, 2025, my life changed forever.    I was 13 weeks pregnant with twins when I experienced a miscarriage. What many people don’t realise is that miscarriage can involve the full labour process. For me, it lasted almost 24 hours.    I delivered our first baby at around 2 a.m., and our second at around 11 p.m. that night. The physical pain was overwhelming, and due to additional medical complications, my recovery took nearly two weeks. The emotional pain is something I will carry for much longer.    One of the things that carried me through this devastating experience was my faith in God. In the midst of loss and confusion, I trusted that He sustains life, and that trust became my strength when I had none left.    The hospital staff were incredibly supportive, and so were my managers, who told me to take all the time I needed. I was grateful for that compassion, but what shocked me was discovering that Ireland has no statutory miscarriage leave at all.    I am originally from India, where women receive six weeks of paid leave after a miscarriage. Having worked in Ireland for the past years, I assumed similar protections existed. Instead, I had to rely on my sick leave and annual leave, simply because there is no legal entitlement for women who experience pregnancy loss before 23 weeks.    I was lucky to have understanding employers. But many women do not.  Many return to work in pain.  Many return while still bleeding.  Many return while grieving a loss that cannot be expressed in words.  And many have no choice.    Miscarriage is not just a medical event. It is a physical trauma and a profound bereavement. Yet women in Ireland are expected to return to work immediately, often without recovery time, financial security, or emotional support. Miscarriage affects approximately 1 in 4 pregnancies.    Ireland has debated miscarriage-leave laws for years. The 2021 Reproductive Health Related Leave Bill offers meaningful protection, yet it remains stalled. Meanwhile, the 2025 Pregnancy Loss Bill proposes only five days of leave — far from enough. Discussion is not enough. Delays are not enough. Women need legal protection now.   I am calling on the Irish Government to introduce 4 weeks of statutory paid miscarriage leave for pregnancy loss before 23 weeks.    Four weeks is not long enough to heal the grief, but it is the minimum time a woman should have to recover physically, emotionally, and with dignity, without fear of losing income or job security.    No woman should have to fight for time off after losing her baby.  No woman should have to use annual, sick, or unpaid leave to recover.  No woman should be left alone in this.    By signing this petition, you are supporting thousands of women every year who experience pregnancy loss, and you are helping build a more compassionate Ireland.    Please sign and share. Let’s make miscarriage leave a legal right.     

Cape & Clover has become an essential part of our village — a warm, welcoming space that brings people together, supports local connection, and adds genuine value to our community. Shutting them down due to a single complaint does not reflect the wishes of the people who actually use and benefit from their service. We ask Limerick Council to: 1. Review and reverse the shutdown 2. Grant Cape & Clover the appropriate trading licence This small, hardworking business deserves to operate — and our community deserves to keep a service we truly value.

A new bridge over the River Lee in Cork City has just been opened. It goes from Parnell Place to Wandesford Quay, via Oliver Plunkett Street and Tuckey Street. This is our chance to give recognition to our home legend Roy Keane.  Cork City Council are looking for suggestions so lets make sure they know what the public want.