Because they provide a vital service voluntarily to New Ross and it's surroundings

We, the residents of River Valley, feel strongly about preserving one of the most cherished landmarks in our community. The Sakura tree holds significant value for residents and contributes positively to the well-being of children and families in the area.The tree is located in the heart of River Valley, on the grounds of the church and to the rear of Holy Family Senior National School, a primary school for boys and girls from 3rd to 6th class. The tree was planted approximately 40 years ago by a local resident.Since then, it has become one of the most admired landmarks in River Valley for both residents and visitors. Over the years, thousands of people have gathered under this tree to mark important life events such as weddings, communions, confirmations, birthdays, and other special occasions. Many residents have shared that children, in particular, find the tree to be therapeutic and comforting—a place to read, draw, or simply spend quiet time. During the COVID period, the tree in full blossom provided much-needed comfort and uplift to people of all ages, offering reassurance and emotional relief during a challenging time. A few years ago, the Parish Council, without consultation with the Residents’ Association, sold this land—held in trust for the community—to a developer, Dunne Better Build. Planning permission was subsequently obtained to construct accommodation adjacent to the school, along with parking facilities. The residents of River Valley are deeply upset and concerned about the possibility that this cherished tree could be damaged or destroyed as part of the development. The collection of 940 signatures within just 10 hours demonstrates the strong emotional attachment the community has to the tree. At present, the uncertainty surrounding its future is causing significant anxiety across all age groups, with growing concerns about the potential impact on the mental well-being of the community.

Bus Eireann has confirmed that families will be paying almost twice as much next year for their children to get to school by bus.  This comes at a time when many families are already dealing with the mountingfuel costs and other price hikes driven by the conflict in the Middle East, and now those with school-age children are being asked to pay significantly more for next year's school transport. The price hikes were confirmed last week as transport portal opened for the 2026/27 bus tickes, with many families now facing almost double the cost for the coming academic year. Not only will this put additional financial pressure on parents getting their children to school - but it's also goes against the Government's commitment to ensuring that public transport is an affordable, reliable and attractive option for all, whether in our cities, towns or rural communities.

This is to get the point out there to the Irish government asking and telling them something needs to be done and not having women waiting years and years for a diagnosis 

Job creation, housing, and much needed investment and rejuvenation of St Patrick's street

In Ireland today, people who have survived war, torture, and persecution are being let down by the very legal system that is supposed to protect them. We are not talking about paperwork delays or administrative inconvenience. We are talking about people whose lives — and whose children's lives — depend entirely on what happens in their legal proceedings. And in too many cases, those proceedings are being handled in a way that falls far short of what any decent standard of justice requires. At Emerald Welcome Centre, we have walked alongside these families. We have seen things that keep us awake at night. We have seen a mother handed a signature page and told to sign — without ever being shown the appeal document lodged in her name. She did not know what story had been told on her behalf. It was not her story. We have seen a man arrive at his International Protection hearing — the most important moment of his entire journey through this system — having had no contact with his solicitor in the weeks beforehand. No preparation. No briefing. No one in his corner. He walked into that room alone. We have seen families wait in silence for weeks, calling and texting a solicitor who did not respond, not knowing whether they still had legal representation, not knowing whether their hearing was still scheduled, living in a state of unbearable uncertainty that no human being should be asked to endure. These are not edge cases. This is a pattern. And it is happening to some of the most vulnerable people in Ireland — people who do not have the power, the language, or the legal knowledge to challenge it themselves. This is why we need you. Not because you are a lawyer. Not because you are an expert in asylum law. But because you are a person who believes that fairness matters. That every human being — regardless of where they were born or what passport they carry — deserves to be treated with dignity when they stand before the Irish legal system. Ireland has a proud tradition of solidarity. We are a nation that remembers what it meant to be the emigrant, the stranger, the one who needed another country's kindness to survive. That memory is not just history. It is a call to action. When you sign this petition, you are telling the Irish Government: we are watching, we care, and we expect better. You are giving a voice to people who cannot safely speak for themselves right now — because they are still inside the system, still waiting, still hoping that Ireland will be everything it promises to be. Please sign. Please share. And please know that your name on this petition is not a small thing. It is an act of solidarity with some of the bravest people in this country.

Please sign my petition and support me in gaining suitable emergency accommodation supports from Donegal County Council.

A proposed Datacenter bid on the Premier Periclase in Drogheda site faces a bid by Ireland’s National Trust An Taisce to block the development. While many Louth County Councillors in Drogheda have labeled An Taisce’s bid as “reckless and irresponsible”, People Before Profit stands with their complaint. An Taisce’s objection was noted to span a variety of concerns including the vast energy consumption of data centers, potential carbon emissions, potential impact on constrained local water supplies. Electricity prices in the Republic of Ireland are over 60% above the EU average, making our bills some of the highest in the world. Because of heavy subsidisation which falls back on the taxpayer, households in Ireland are paying almost twice as much for their electricity as data centres themselves. At the same time as costs go through the roof, data centres are consuming more and more of our grid capacity, with approximately 22% of overall energy spent on data centres in 2024. This figure is constantly rising, and is expected to rise to more than 30% before the end of the decade, where the grid will struggle to meet demands. This means that emissions ‘reductions’ through new renewable energy infrastructure are cancelled out by increased demand.  During a heightened cost of energy crisis, the government’s weak measure reductions are not enough.  A few cents off fuel isn’t enough. We need price controls on fuel, energy, basic groceries, plus a €500 energy credit to put money back in people’s pockets.  While an increase of data centres and a decrease in day-to-day affordability are clearly interconnected, such rapid changes will impact working people in more ways than living costs alone. The AI software that data centres power will inevitably create unemployment by outsourcing labour to emergent machinery. For local Sinn Féin and Labour councillors, who claim to be parties of the left opposition, to support a development that will directly contribute to both the affordability crisis and climate crisis suggests a lack of political direction at a time when we need it most. The Irish government, Labour and Sinn Féin know this, yet they are encouraging us to quietly accept the inevitable harms they'll cause to working people. There is no discussion anywhere with ordinary people about shaping and directing this technology, in keeping with a project of green transition, for the betterment of society. The government’s designation of parts of the River Boyne as ‘heavily modified’ could allow a proposed data centre to harm the river’s water quality, raising concerns that potential environmental impacts may not be properly assessed or managed. The Irish people will suffer from the proliferation of data centers, while the rich will profit from them. Local councillors endorsing the proposed Datacenter bid on the Premier Periclase site is short-term opportunism at best. It will provide no answer to the current crises we're facing, and in the long-term, will make things worse. Another data centre is another cost onto the ordinary person! We demand: • Levy existing data centres to fund a €500 energy credit for households • Price controls on fuel,energy and basic groceries • Moratorium on new data centres 

For decades, the John Lennon mural at St. Marks Community School in Tallaght, Dublin 24, has been more than just a painting on a wall; it has been a symbol, a memory, and a legend shared by thousands of pupils who have walked through the school's corridors. The mural, with its black and white powerful depiction of Lennon, has inspired countless students, sparking creativity and a sense of imagination.    As a former pupil of St. Marks, when I think back, it’s the mural that stands out in my memories. It's not just paint on a wall; it's part of our school’s history and a rare childhood icon that has seen generations pass by. Many of my fellow students, now scattered across the globe, express a deep connection to this piece of artwork. Yet, despite its emotional and historical significance, the school has announced plans to paint over this beloved mural next year.    We cannot simply let this piece of cultural art disappear. The mural serves as a testament to the artistic spirit and historical narratives that many schools around the world fight to preserve. Removing it would erase a key part of our shared heritage in the Tallaght community.    Instead of painting over it, we propose an alternative solution: Preserve and restore this artwork, allowing future generations to learn from and be inspired by its rich history and the legacy of John Lennon himself. We urge the school administration to work with local artists, historians, and alumni to find a sustainable way to maintain this mural for the community.    In a time where arts and culture are increasingly undervalued, saving this mural stands as a commitment to preserve our unique cultural landmarks. Join us in our campaign to appeal to the St. Marks school board to reconsider their decision and explore options for conservation.    Please sign and share this petition to help keep the magic of the John Lennon mural alive for future students, alumni, and the wider community.

This week I came across posts from working families in Ireland that genuinely stopped me in my tracks. A nurse with two children and a full-time working husband unable to afford heating oil or groceries. A Garda family with five children struggling to make ends meet despite both parents working. These are not people who aren’t trying—these are essential workers doing everything right, yet still falling behind. Something is clearly broken when full-time working families in Ireland cannot afford basic necessities like heat and food. This is no longer a rare situation—it is becoming the reality for more and more households across the country.

Close your eyes and think of 2010. For most of us, it’s a lifetime ago. We’ve finished school, started jobs, traveled the world, and fallen in love. We’ve grown up. Toyosi never got to grow up. He is frozen in time at fifteen. He is the boy in the football jersey who never got to play his final match. He is the son who never got to come home for dinner on that Good Friday. He is the brother whose laughter was replaced by a silence so loud it still rings in his family’s home sixteen years later. When Toyosi was taken, a piece of Dublin died with him. But the real tragedy didn't end on that street in Tyrrelstown. The tragedy continued in the courtrooms and the Garda stations, where the system looked at a grieving family and eventually just… stopped. How do you tell a mother that no one is responsible for her son’s heart stopping? How do you explain to his friends that the law has no answers for them? Every signature on this petition is a candle lit for a boy who was left in the dark. It is a message to the State that we haven't forgotten the child who loved football and had a smile that could light up a room. We are signing because Toyosi’s life was precious, and the truth is the very least he is owed.

Because the current NCT system unfairly penalises responsible motorists and new owners, even when a car has been genuinely off the road. A fair system should not punish people who follow the rules.  Ireland is using outdated NCT rules that no longer reflect how people use and maintain their vehicles. We need a modern, digital, transparent system that works for everyone.