It is so important because i experienced this back in 1998 when i first came to Ireland. I was even pushed out of a pub in Temple Bar for no reason. I reported to the police but nothing was done. I was shocked when my brother that came into the country recently experienced the same discrimination at the point of entry into clubs and pubs.

The system has raised major human rights concerns and the toll that it takes on its residents has been well documented by NGOs, legal practitioners, experts and international bodies with the Ombudsman and the special rapporteur on child protection both calling on Ireland to abolish Direct Provision. Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the Green Party are currently negotiating a program for government.(PFG) The abolition of the dehumanising Direct provision system has become a key sticking point in the negotiations with Fine Gael and Fianna Fail not wishing to make a firm commitment to its abolition in the PFG. In order to ratify the PFG, each party will require a vote by its members and so every member of those parties has a voice on the issue. In addition to signing this petition; Please contact your local Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Green Party TD and Councillors and ask them to commit to only supporting a PFG which contains a firm and time limited commitment to the end of Direct Provision. Sample e-mail text: “Dear [Deputy/Councillor], I am writing to you as my elected representative. Your party is currently negotiating a program for government and, if agreed, you will soon be asked to vote to ratify this. I am asking that you contact your negotiating team in your party and let them know that you can only support a program for government that contains a firm and time limited commitment to the end of the dehumanising Direct Provision. Yours sincerely, You can find details of your elected representatives here https://www.whoismytd.com/ You can find more information on Direct Provision here: https://www.irishrefugeecouncil.ie/listing/category/direct-provision https://doras.org/direct-provision/ https://www.newyorker.com/news/dispatch/irelands-strange-cruel-system-for-asylum-seekers

We cannot keep losing young men and women due to lack of support from our NHS. In the last 2 years four of my sons friends have opted to end their lives by suicide. I do not want my son to be the next loss. Please help.

It is the most important thing in life it would reduce all of the issues across the bored if we are are going to fight for mental health we should start with the younger generations we need to give them tools to help others and help themselves it is fundamental to have something in our shcools at a young age

Free speech should not provoke fear of retribution by intimidation and acts of violence. People who support the rights of asylum seekers should not be silenced through fear. Our society must not be silenced by inarticulate bullies.

It’s with alarming concert that we the community of killaloe & Ballina hear that the local weekly citizens advice service had been suspended due to unforeseen circumstances. The community of killaloe & Ballina have a population of over 4,500 residents and the service had been in situ for well over 10 years providing free information advice support and Advocacy. We the community of Killaloe & Ballina value that weekly citizens information (CIC) service and wish to emphasise the importance of it, in supporting and addressing our complex queries. We have sign this petition to highlight the importance of keeping this service open in Killaloe to meet the needs of our community and to especially provide a face to face service to those that are marginalised and unable to get to Limerick or Nenagh Citizens information centers offices.

It would allow for a peaceful resolution if May was actually willing to agree to it, and even if (or I suspect when) it was rejected out of hand it would do good for the relationship between reasonable Ulster Unionist political factions and our Republic.

Ireland is a diverse country with people of all races. Representation of this in the media matters. Representation of all cultures, shapes, shades and sizes of people in Ireland also matters. At the moment when looking at newsstands, we have noticed approximately 90% of Irish publications all have white models on their cover month after month. We don't feel that is an accurate or fair representation for or of Ireland. Imagine our children all growing up feeling represented, heard and seen; knowing that they too can be seen and heard and that all races and shades matter. Myself (Yasmin O'Connor), Emma Murphy & Not Another Agency believe the time for a change on our magazine covers is now. We have also received some feedback from people on 'Why representation matters to you?' here are some of the responses "because all teens and children should have someone that represents them no matter their race, disability etc'' - Dervla 'because at the moment it is racist ableist nonsense that stops there being actual diversity'' - Maggie ''because right now Irish media is not in anyway reflective of the diversity in our society'' - Anne ''because I don't want my kid (white) growing up thinking their skin makes them superior to anyone'' - Sharon 'because perfection isn't the norm, beauty comes in all appearances'' - Jess 'because I stopped buying magazines about 8 years ago because of how they portray women' - Dora ''because we live in a multi-racial society but unless you are tall, blonde white and pretty you don't seem to matter - Emma ''because Ireland isn't all tall, thin, blondes and it is damaging to young girls to only see this all the time'' -Jesska ''because I never thought about it until was brought to my attention because I am a white woman and am always represented' - Siobhan Not Another Agency who is a modelling agency in Ireland have come on board to help support this movement of change in Irish media. Dean Ryan McDaid who is one of the founders of Not Another Agency which started 4 years ago says We strongly feel that diversity in the modelling industry should not mean just filling a quota. The fashion industry of Ireland has a responsibility to show the diversity of our country right now. There is still a long way to go with this but we feel it has gotten much better since we started our agency. There was a huge lack of diversity, especially with race and size when we started and this really prompted us to start and try and break the mould. We are delighted to see the strides that have been made, but there are still many more to go!”

We should send the world a message that people like Donald Trump should not be welcome where the country they want to visit have fundamentally different views on Race, Immigration and the LGBT community etc

I abhor the human rights abuses that are taking place in Palestine. I cannot be a customer of a company that supports, whether directly or indirectly, the occupation of Palestinian territories by Israel and the ensuing human suffering that it inflicts. International human rights group SumOfUs suggests that the insurer is violating international law by financing the arms maker Elbit Systems. SumOfUs has accused AXA of contributing to the suffering of the Palestinian people by having a financial interest in Elbit Systems and three Israeli banks that “finance Israel’s illegal settlement expansion.” SumOfUs’ campaign comes after the International Federation of Human Rights allegedly found that several French financial groups, including AXA, are directly or indirectly linked with Israeli businesses involved in settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory. In reply, AXA has said "Our investments in the Israeli banks targeted by this campaign represent around 0.004% of the Group’s assets under management and are mainly assets managed for third party clients of our asset management subsidiaries." What I would like know is, are AXA still involved in these investments, and how much in real monetary terms 0.004% accounts for? If it such a small amount, as they suggest, why don't they just drop it?

For equal treatment of people who are part of Irish society and who have contributed to building up our society even during the conflict, but who, because of partition and an oversight in the Good Friday Agreement may not get the same rights as they would, had they been living in the Republic. Brexit and Irish Citizenship Rights Campaign The aim: To secure an Irish citizenship right for non-Irish/non-British people with permanent right to reside and Indefinite Leave to Remain in NI for the free movement within EU Background Prior to the Belfast Agreement (the Agreement), the six counties in the North are part of the Ireland under Article 2 and 3 of 1937 Constitution. This means that ethnic minorities who were legally living and working in the North should has the same equal rights as an Irish citizen. Unfortunately, the Agreement has not reflected their Irish citizenship rights, as they contributed to the Northern Irish society during the conflicts, which is discriminatory under 1937 Constitution, the Belfast Agreement and applicable international human rights law. Moreover, the Agreement stated that any Irish or British born national has a right to dual nationality, and as per Annex 2, all persons born in NI to a parent who is otherwise entitled to reside in NI without any restriction. The right of adult i.e. parents or siblings of an Irish born child to Irish citizenship has not been covered by the Agreement which is also discriminatory. According to the Irish Citizenship and Nationality Act 2004 which implements the Agreement, any new born of ethnic minorities background before 1 January 2005 will automatically get the Irish citizenship. For those born after 1 January 2005 if either parent fulfils the criteria under 2004 Act, the new born will be an Irish. But ethnic minorities prior to the Agreement; and parents or siblings of Irish born children after the Agreement can only, on very special circumstances, apply for Irish citizenship, but this is at the discretion of the Minister for Justice and Equality. We firmly believe the principle of equality before the Law and non-discrimination under the 1937 Constitution, the Agreement and applicable international human rights law; and accordingly demand that ethnic minorities prior to the Agreement should automatically granted the Irish citizenship. Moreover, anyone who acquired the permanent residency and Indefinite Leave to Remain status under the UK immigration law in NI after the Agreement, has the same equal right to Irish citizenship in exercising Article 1 self-determination rights of the Agreement, as an Irish, British or both. The recent Supreme Court decision in United Kingdom on Brexit undermines the Agreement in which all the rights enshrined will be disappeared when Article 50 kicks in. Therefore, we need to protect the integrity of the Agreement. Our recommendations to the Irish government are as follows: • Protect the rights and the integrity of the Belfast Agreement; • To retain and to protect the Common Travel Area, under which people, animals and goods are freely to move; • To support a special status that based on the Agreement between Northern Ireland and EU which would ensure freed movement rights between Northern Ireland and EU member states; • To amend the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 2004 “anyone who acquired the permanent residency/Indefinite Leave to Remain/naturalised as British in NI has an equal right to the Irish citizenship”. Brexit and Irish Citizenship Rights Campaign Petition Letter: We, as the people of Ireland, demand that the Irish government: • Protect the rights and the integrity of the Belfast Agreement; • To retain and to protect the Common Travel Area, under which people, animals and goods are freely to move; • To support a special status that based on the Agreement between Northern Ireland and EU which would ensure freed movement rights between Northern Ireland and EU member states; • To amend the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 2004 “anyone who acquired the permanent residency/Indefinite Leave to Remain/naturalised as British in NI has an equal right to the Irish citizenship”. Signature: Date: Name (your full name): Your Postal code: Are you Irish or British citizen: Yes / No Are you ethnic minorities: Yes / No If yes, which ethnic group are you belonged to: Return this signature slip to the following address: Contact Email: