There is a severe shortage of suitable green spaces in Dublin, especially during the winter months and also when we get any heavy rain when it’s even more difficult for children to access outdoor facilities. This shortage is preventing thousands of young people from reaping the physical and mental health benefits that come from regular exercise and outdoor activities. We believe now is the time to deliver on more spaces where kids can safely play and develop and this is an easy win.

Installing a pedestrian crossing/traffic lights would improve safety for pedestrians of all ages, including children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities, when crossing the busy roads in Kilmuckridge. Drivers are more likely to pay attention to and yield to pedestrians at a designated crossing.  Advocating for this would help encourage a culture of mutual respect among pedestrians and drivers, so we can all contribute to a safer community for residents and visitors in Kilmuckridge, Co. Wexford. 

Holy Family is a vital cornerstone of the community, playing a central role in the lives of local families.  The current conditions jeopardise both the children's health and ability to learn. Without urgent attention, these issues will only worsen, further compromising the wellbeing of the pupils and staff. 

The evidence regarding the detrimental impact of unregulated access to the internet and social media on our children and young people is overwhelming. It is an evolving youth mental health crisis which is a societal challenge and requires leadership and political will to address. In the words of Prof. Matthew Sadlier (Chair of the Irish Medical Organisation Consultants Committee) at the Gen Free launch in Greystones on Sept 17th, “The radical changes in behaviour of children that we have seen since the introduction of immersive digital technology is having an overwhelming harmful effect”. Legislation is urgently needed and our campaign is now giving a clear call to action. Let’s make our voices heard and protect children online. The time is now With an election fast approaching, now is the time to get this on the agenda for every decision-maker and TD in the country.  #GenFree #FreetobeKids Campaign coverage: https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/0918/1470524-online-safety-children-campaign/   People and Organisations supporting this campaign; • Irish Medical Organisation, (IMO) • Dr. Richard Hogan, Family Psychotherapist, • Dr. Catherine Conlon, Senior Medical Officer, HSE, • Prof. Mary Aiken, Professor of Cyberpsychology, • Dr. Brigid Teevan, Doctor in Childhood Studies, • Dr. Joanna Fortune, Psychotherapist & Clinical Author, • Dr. Colman Noctor, Child & Adolescent Psychoanalytical Psychotherapist • Dr. David Coleman, Clinical Psychologist & Author, • CyberSafeKids, • Temple Carrig Secondary School, • It Takes a Village, • Barnardos, Rahoo, • Noone Cyber Services, • Counselling Forward. • A Path Appears.

The affected families have been integrated into many parts of our town in Blackrock so it would have an impact on many people in the community. It is within our interest to maintain them as a key part of this community going forward. 

We have found out that our community youth  space is about to be closed because the council won't continue to fund it.  The Factory Youth Space in Limerick City is a space for all the community. Every week hundreds of people use if for youth groups, dance classes, sports and disability groups. The place is hopping! Yet the council just couldn’t be bothered to guarantee funding to keep this essential space open. We are calling on John Moran, the Newly Elected Mayor of Limerick to use his new position to make a real difference to the people of Limerick and save our youth space. By Christmas the youth and sports groups will be made homeless as there are no other community spaces to be found. Even Scrooge wouldn’t kick young people with out into the cold.  We won’t go quietly and are going to kick up a stink. If enough of us shout loud enough together, they can’t pretend not to hear us. We are calling on Mayor John Moran to act on behalf of the people he is supposed to be serving.  Sign the petition to help make our voice loud enough that the Mayor can’t pretend not to hear us.   Limerick Youth Voices

So many of us were horrified to learn about the extent of sexual abuse that has taken place in religious run schools in Ireland. A scoping inquiry report uncovered 2,395 allegations of abuse against 884 alleged abusers over a 30 year period in schools run by religious orders. Despite this wide-scale abuse, more than 90% of schools are still controlled by religious institutions. We are calling on this government to end religious patronage of schools in Ireland and to offer all children the safe, secular education they deserve. Education Minister Norma Foley has been dragging her feet on this issue for too long. It's long past time for action. 

As the two family representatives who recently stepped down from the Service Improvement Board and working groups for the Progressing Disabilities Roadmap, we requested a meeting with Minister for Disability, Anne Rabbitte. In our meeting, we discussed various issues and agreed that we must urgently review the Progressing Disability Services (PDS) model. We believe this review is crucial to ensure that the services for children with disabilities are effective, inclusive, and respect their rights as outlined in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). We will not accept a system that fails to acknowledge the inherent dignity and humanity of children, families, and staff. We urge that the review of Progressing Disabilities be led by stakeholders, including families, people with disabilities, staff, and representative organizations. Let’s come together to assess what is working, what isn’t, and what needs to happen next to shift towards a human rights framework for children in Ireland.  The time has come for us to lead the change we want to see. We have waited long enough, and our children simply do not have the luxury of time. Many challenges in disability services can prevent children with disabilities from having their rights and voices heard. By advocating for a stakeholder-led review, we aim to evaluate the effectiveness of current services, identifying best practices and areas for improvement. Our goal is to ensure that the views and rights of children and their families are prioritized, leading to fairer and more accessible support for everyone. To make meaningful change happen, we are seeking your support to help build a strong coalition that advocates for the rights of children with disabilities and promotes a culture of inclusion and understanding.

1. Community Well-being: A community with sufficient recreational spaces is a healthier, more vibrant place to live. Playgrounds are not just for children; they foster community interaction and engagement among parents and families, creating a stronger sense of unity and belonging. 2. Child Development: Playgrounds are essential for children’s physical, cognitive, and social development. By supporting this campaign, you help provide our children with safe places to play, which are crucial for their growth and overall well-being. 3. Safety Concerns: Without adequate playgrounds, children are often forced to play in unsafe areas like streets and roads. By advocating for more play spaces, we can significantly reduce the risks associated with traffic and other hazards. 4. Reduce Screen Time: Many parents currently rely on electronic devices to keep their children occupied due to the lack of outdoor options. More playgrounds would encourage physical activity, reducing screen time and its associated health issues, such as poor vision and lack of exercise. 5. Long-term Community Benefits: Investing in playgrounds is an investment in our community’s future. It makes Dundalk a more attractive place for families, potentially increasing property values and local business patronage. 6. Support for Working Families: Many working parents struggle to find time and places for their children to play safely. More playgrounds can ease this burden, offering easily accessible locations for children to engage in healthy activities. By joining this campaign, you are not only advocating for the immediate needs of our children but also contributing to a brighter future for Dundalk. Together, we can create a community that prioritizes health, safety, and happiness for all its residents. Let’s make Dundalk a place where our children can thrive.

The North Wall CTC has been closed since February 2020. Over the last four and a half years, it has become an eyesore to the surrounding areas. It is a prime example of the neglect and abandonment experienced throughout inner-city communities. This failure should not be allowed, and our community should not accept this either.  However, despite the unanimous agreement at the Dublin Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum in September 2022 that the building should be repurposed for education and childcare needs, there has been a lack of drive or will to push through the necessary restoration works. The issue seems to have been dropped due to an estimated repair cost of approximately €3 million.  Since 2021, Mary Lou McDonald and Sinn  Féin have called for this site for public use, such as the after-school support programme. Utilising this site for childcare provisions or something similar will benefit the entire North Wall area community.  Our community deserves respect, and €3 million is a tiny expense compared to money  other government departments spend. The value of this building to the community as an amenity is worth multiple times the estimated costs for renovating it.  The North Wall community deserves to have this building refurbished and put directly to community use. The potential benefits include childcare, healthcare, training and education, a Men’s Shed, Senior Citizens centre and many more. The community now needs to drive this issue and demand these works occur.  If you support this campaign and wish to see positive investment in your community, please sign this petition. There will also be community days of action where we will call on the community to attend a demonstration outside the centre 

No matter who we are or where we come from, all any of us want is to protect and take care of our families. Being evicted from the only shelter we have is cruel and heartless. 

Anyone who has seen our playground knows it needs improvement now! Broken equipment, crumbling astroturf, sharp corners and overgrown weeds just to mention a few points that lead to our only playground in the town to be a health and safety risk for our children. Our children deserve a safe and clean environment to play outdoors! The points mentioned above are proving this to be not the case therefore we implore you to do better for our community! The surrounding schools are more or less forced to use the playground for their July provisions on a daily basis because they have limited resources on the school grounds. The council have recently transformed the railway walk into a beautiful spot and we think our children would love the same care and effort put into improving their playground! Let's come together as a community and change this - Demand action to be taken immediately and improve the Ardee playground now!