Currently, pets such as dogs and cats are restricted from travelling on buses and taxis unless they are contained. This can be difficult in emergency situations, with regard to taxis requiring the pet to be 'contained' regardless of the welfare of the animal. I have experienced this recently and find it appalling. This is a serious issue which needs to be amended. This only exists in Ireland. In the UK pet are allowed to travel freely and are not forced into containers that could harm their wellbeing. If it works there, then it can work here! Please, if you agree that pets shouldn't have to be needlessly contained on buses and taxis, can you sign and share this petition to show The Taoiseach where you stand?

It would be an altogether too powerful body and they would have a complete monopoly on pesticides, fertilizers, seeds etc. Monsanto is a producer of genetically modified crops. A merger between these too would spell disaster for farming and farming produce in Ireland.

Using wild animals in travelling circuses where animals are forced to travel long distances and to perform unusual tricks and routines is cruel. A circus is no place for wild animals such as elephants, zebras, lions, camels and tigers; their needs cannot be met in a circus. Animals that are in circuses can suffer long term physical and psychological harm. Countries across Europe are banning wild animal circuses which is leading to Ireland quickly becoming one of the last places in Europe to allow this cruel practice. Call on your TD to support the bill before the Dáil from the Solidarity/People before Profit group that will see the end of this barbaric practice.

Each year tens of thousands of live farm animals are shipped overseas from Ireland to countries that have little or no animal welfare laws. Loaded onto crowded trucks and planes, their gruelling journeys can take days or weeks only to be slaughtered at their destination. Many animals, such as calves and lambs, suffer stress and exhaustion, hunger, thirst and rough handling - some even die in transit. In this instance 1,700 lambs were being shipped to Singapore to be slaughtered in the Hari Raya Haji celebration. 121 lambs died during the journey, the cause of death believed to be heat stress.

Merlin Park meadows has been conserved as a public amenity space for many generations and is a vital green space for the people of Galway. With 84 acres of land already zoned for development within the Merlin Park hospital complex, it will have an adverse impact on the community - once it is gone, it can never be replaced. With the expansion of housing and commercial lands surrounding the area, it is a healthy environment for the ever increasing population who depend on it as an escape from polluted environments, a place for mental relaxation and physical activity. Along with the Merlin Park Woods it is the only known habitat in the city where Red Squirrel are thriving and sightings from other areas of the city are of roadkill. It is home to thousands of mammals and wildlife species such as butterflies, bumblebees and dragonflies providing a safe haven for them with huge declines in the number of these species and many threatened species in recent years. It is home to a variety of Orchids and wildflowers similar to the protected Burren in Co Clare. This is a very unique meadow within the city of Galway and is totally natural. Galway has been awarded the European Green Leaf Award for 2017, to allow development on public land and destroy this meadow would totally go against this.

Animals are beautiful and their lives matter, no one should be allowed to get off from abusing them. Even if they are charged with abuse we never hear about it. I believe a public register may in some way reduce the cruelty to these helpless animals.All animals deserve to live free from fear and the people who abuse them need to be outed. I don't believe the laws regarding animal abuse is strong enough in Ireland. So please please bring this law in and leave god's creatures to live their lives. In certain states in america they have specific police forces that deal in animal offenders. They get prison sentences for the abuse of animals. My love for animals comes from my very core and I would do anything to try and protect them. Who is there voice if we are not. Let us be their voice and sign the petition if you really love animals then have a heart and show you care. Don't just talk about it do it.

Lough Key Forest Park is a national treasure and must at all costs be kept in public ownership. We're really worried that plans are afoot to sell it or part off, similar to what happened at Newcastle Forest where publicly owned land of which we the Irish people are the stakeholders of was leased to a foreign private company for profit gain. Una Bhan is a 'high' POEM / song in the Gaelic tradition,which tells the tragic love affair she had with a rival of her father.It is widely sung the length and breath of Ireland,and it symbolises our rich gaelic culture.She is buried on an Island close by......our heritage belongs to everyone, and no one!

Now I am seeking support from all sides that the dog licence fee be done away with and so at least the poor, the lonely and all dog lovers will not have to face this out of date draconian penal tax and perhaps have a few extra bob to spend over Christmas.

The salmon farming industry is detrimental to wild salmon, peoples health and the ecology of the bays where the cages are. Sea lice from the salmon cages easily infest little salmon making their journey to sea, and many don't return to breed. This massively effects angling tourism, coupled with escaped salmon who spread disease. The antibiotics and food used to farm these "organic" salmon is far from healthy. The E.U definition of "organic" is shocking, and I have never in my life heard of antibiotics growing in a field! Mussels and other native life is effected by the salmon farms, they must be stopped! For more information or to help the campaign further contact Tom Moran via the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pbpcastlebar Thank you!

Hares are a protected species in Ireland and an national symbol. Prior to a hare coursing event the hares are collected in a cruel manner using nets and then stored in horrendous conditions most likely in small boxes until they are released into a field and chased and mauled by greyhounds. Animal rights organisations have secretly documented and evidenced the cruel methods in collection and storing of the animals. Clare Daly, a TD for Dublin North – the only Dublin constituency, she says, which still has hare coursing events – told the Dail recently that the Irish Council Against Blood Sports has a video of barbarity in Balbriggan. Daly says that the rules around hare coursing are contradictory where, on the one hand, hares are protected under the Wildlife Act but, on the other, under the Animal Health and Welfare Act all animals are protected with the exception of hares to be coursed. She said that this resulted, in 2015, in a situation where 7,000 hares were taken from the wild to be used in live coursing events. While Creed said the figures show that in 2014-15 99.3% of hares are released back into the wild, Daly said it was often to die. “Reports from the National Parks and Wildlife Service… tell us that only 17 of the 75 events held in the country last year had National Parks and Wildlife Service officials in attendance and the state of many of the hares requiring assistance, which were released back to the wild distressed, is evident in its reports, which refute the information given to the Minister by Bord na gCon.” Many hares, she said, which are released back into the wild, were very distressed and die afterwards. Creed said that under legislation ensured a prohibition on the coursing of sick or pregnant hares and a requirement that hares be released back into the wild during daylight hours. However, Daly said at a coursing event in Nenagh, some of the hares released included heavily pregnant hares. Daly said the solution is to ban coursing outright, but Creed said he has no intentions to do so. Ireland is one of only 3 countries in Europe that allow this barbaric so called sport take place. Does this have a place in a caring and compassionate modern Ireland? For the last 25 years independent TD's have attempted to and failed to have this act banned in the Dail. Supporters call it tradition, a tradition where grown men stand in a field and cheer whilst watching animals be terrorised and mauled. The word tradition is used too often to for justification for terrible acts. How can we as a nation condemn other countries for animal cruelty like bull fighting and whale hunting when we accept this in our own lands. TD's should firstly be allowed to vote with their conscious and not with the whip and the government who has given its support to the continuation of hare coursing. Its important that we send a strong message to the government that it is not acceptable in a caring and compassionate Ireland that cherishes its protected species.

Irish greyhounds are being exported out of the country and ending up being exploited and abused in countries like India and Pakistan by being made race against motorbikes in an extremely dangerous and unregulated sport. [1] This is not the first time that a story has broken about the fate of Irish greyhounds when they leave the country. As it stands, the breeders and sellers have no responsibility to ensure that the greyhounds are not going to be abused and can make a lot of money selling greyhounds with no responsibility. That is why we are calling on the Minister to immediately implement an emergency ban on the export of greyhounds until a proper system is in place. It is not good enough to breed thousands of these dogs, sell them, and then shirk any responsibility for their welfare post sale. The Irish government and the greyhound industry say that they have no information on where Irish dogs are sold onto after they are sold to the UK. For this reason, there has to be an immediate, emergency ban on exports until a proper, transparent system is put in place.  Will you sign your name to this please? P.S I have updated this petition to reflect the recent revelations around greyhound-motorbike races but the ask in the petition stays the same; there needs to be a proper system in place to ensure lifelong welfare.

As Limerick City is on an estuary, it is expected that any problems caused by excess amounts of Orthophosphate entering the Shannon from households in the city will be mitigated by the tidal movements of the estuary. This is not good environmental practice and is simply fixing one problem by creating another problem. There are two solutions that can solve the problem of lead in water. One solution is to completely remove and replace all old lead piping, lead fixtures and lead fittings in the plumbing system of the house. The other solution which may also be less costly, is to add a water filter or filtration system that will remove metals like lead and other contaminants and ensure the drinking water supply is pure and safe to drink. There are also health issues with the use of this chemical not just the fact there adding it to water already effected by fluoride. The phosphate in sodium phosphate can cause calcification of your organs, the University of Maryland Medical Centre notes. Phosphate sometimes causes your soft tissue to calcify as well. When your organs and soft tissue become calcified, your ability to utilize minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc becomes impaired. These minerals are vital to the proper function of your body. Being unable to properly utilize them will lead to further problems and complications. Sodium phosphate has been associated with severe kidney damage, sometimes requiring dialysis, according to a 2009 article in PubMed Health. Kidney damage is associated with dehydration and constipation. Dizziness and decreased urination also can indicate kidney damage, but a biopsy offers more conclusive proof of kidney damage. Consuming it more frequently than once every seven days might elevate your risk of developing kidney damage, according to MedlinePlus. Sometimes sodium phosphate causes severe allergic reactions characterized by hives or skin rashes that appear all over your body, as well as itching and breathing difficulties. Allergic reactions also can cause your chest and throat to feel tight. Blood sometimes appears in your stool. Your facial area will also swell when you experience an allergic reaction. During a severe allergic reaction, your arms and legs sometimes also swell. Confusion, arrhythmia and headaches are also symptoms associated with severe allergic reactions. Seizures and potential loss of consciousness are also typical symptoms of a severe allergic reaction. And already common in our current supply I have been sending letters, Emails etc. to this company for months regarding the Orthophosphate trials in Limerick and Clare.What we want is for them to send a spokes person to Limerick for a public consultation with the residents and citizens who will be effected by this.If they are a genuine company that have any regard for its customers and if this Phosphate is 100% safe then I don't see why they are refusing. We will welcome them and organise a venue This orthophosphate is been used as an escuse not to repair our infrastructure which is on its last legs.Once that falls apart they will sell to the higest bidder and our water will be lost.Ask Berlin about that one or veolia So please help us keep the pressure on we only have weeks left as its going in without our consent in the first quarter of 2016