‘The Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill, 2018’ seeks to ban imports to Ireland from illegal settlements in countries which are illegally occupied, in breach of International Law. This is a chance for Ireland to stand up for the rights of vulnerable people – it is about respecting international law and refusing to support illegal activity and human suffering. Under international law (the Geneva Convention), the transfer by a State of its civilian population into a territory it has militarily occupied is a war crime. This legislation would apply to territories where there is a clear international legal consensus on the status of the occupation. As it stands, only the occupied Palestinian territories have been confirmed as occupied by the International Court of Justice. This Bill does not implement a boycott of Israeli goods, or single out Israel. It only bans the import and sale of goods produced in settlements that are illegal under international law. The European Union’s position is absolutely clear: Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory are “illegal under international law, constitute an obstacle to peace and threaten to make a two-state solution impossible”. Despite this, EU states, including Ireland, continue to make the settlements financially viable through trade and economic activity. The legal basis of the Bill and its permissibility under EU law are confirmed by several formal legal opinions: Michael Lynn, Senior Counsel in Ireland, Professor James Crawford of the University of Cambridge, Senior Counsel in the UK and one of the most eminent authorities on international law worldwide and former Attorney General Senator Michael McDowell have all confirmed the legality of the Bill. This Bill has cross-party support from all parties in the Dáil and Seanad but the government is refusing to support it. This is why we are calling on Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney and his party to back this Bill as we want all the people of Israel and Palestine to live in peace and security. We stand in support of international law and for the principles of peace and justice.

Because the estate is full of young children that run, skip, scoot, cycle around the bend and throughout the entire Belmont estate every day

We would like a safe place for the children, staff and parents to cross the road to the school premises. Ideally, we would like a traffic warden/lollipop man/lady, a zebra crossing, ramps to slow oncoming traffic - especially from the roundabout and a pedestrian lights to help all members of the school community cross the road safely. We would like 'School Ahead' signs put up to warn drivers to excise caution. We would like these located in front of the school where we currently have zig zag lines, as we do not want children to be crossing the road between cars.Currently we have 167 pupils in our Junior School plus 19 children who attend Montessori on our premises. We have 21 members of full time staff and parents who also may cross the road to come to school.

Educational researchers agree that our current mainstream school system does not align with meeting the needs of children. We can no longer judge children's abilities in standardized testing, which ignores their creativity as well as talents and often makes them feel isolated, stupid and worthless. Especially children with additional needs are not nourished in the long outdated school system. In most European countries progressive schools such as Montessori, Sudbury, Homeschools and Waldorf Schools have long been a welcoming space for children to flourish, to gain self confidence and to become independent and happy citizens. Unfortunately these schools in Ireland depend fully on fundraising and fees alone because they do not receive a single cent from the Irish government. Teachers often partially work for free, because they believe in the significance of these educational establishments, and more importantly in the children's right to self-direct their learning, no matter of their financial background. It is time to allow parents and children to choose how their personalities will develop healthily, without a religious indoctrination, by letting them learn in an alternative non-denominational school. Please add your name to this petition to collectively ask our new Minister for Education, Joe McHugh, to spread the allocated funds for education more fairly by including alternative schools such as Montessori, Sudbury or Steiner, as well as homeschooling in the state funding, so that no child has to pay fees in order to grow there. With good hopes for the future, Carolin, a former teacher

The Liberties, is home to the Guinness Storehouse in South Inner City Dublin. 50,000 local people have no access to playing team sports, like football. Many local boys and men go to prison from this area. 11 local primary schools have really small playgrounds so they can't play much sport. This means they might get unhealthy and overweight. John Lonergan, who used to be the boss of Mountjoy Prison has said that a lot of prisoners in Mountjoy have always come from the Liberties. He said it is because they don't have enough to do in the area, to keep them busy. This is the last plot of derelict land in The Liberties, that can fit a big grass sports pitch for team games like Football, Hurling or Rugby. The boss of Dublin City Council, Richard Shakespeare wants to build a big waste depot, but he needs to get the local Dublin City Councillors to go along with him. At the moment, the only use is for recreational, so he can't build a big waste depot without their help. The land is really close to the Guinness Enterprise Centre and the Guinness Storehouse. A local pitch would help people working there, to do sport. 10 million euro has been invested on the Guinness Enterprise Centre, so that it can get bigger by 65%, making it a business superhub. The Guinness Storehouse is one of the best tourist places to go in Ireland. In 2023 1.5 million visitors from 165 countries. Visitor numbers are down from 2017 when they were 1.7 million. <https://www.thejournal.ie/guinness-storehouse-visitor-numbers-2-3775913-Jan2018/>. The Chief Executive must give people living and working in the Liberties, the chance to play sport. He must act on the advice of Ex Mountjoy Prison Boss John Lonergan, and make the area near the Guinness Enterprise Centre and Guinness Storehouse better. The plans for the sports pitch are ready, and the land is zoned 'recreational'. We ask the Chief Executive to please build the sports pitch, not a big waste depot.

Climate Change is accepted as an existential threat to the the planet and humanity. It affects us all and underpins every issue we fight for. The recent IPCC Report on 1.5°C is unequivocal: time is running out. Media in general and public service broadcasters in particular have a critical role to play in supporting public understanding of this issue and the transition to a low carbon future. Despite this, broadcasters still often obscure facts in the pursuit of so called "balance". In September 2018 the BBC became the first major broadcaster to implemented clear editorial guidelines to address this. We now call on RTE to issue a clear editorial policy in line with the science, in line with its public service mandate.

Established in 1996, Lifeline Inishowen provides professional and confidential support to women and children who are experiencing or have experienced domestic abuse: physical, emotional, sexual or financial. The service's volunteers provide support to 54 families per year, on average. HSE funding was withdrawn in 2010. Although Lifeline receive a small sum from TUSLA towards their Child Counselling service, their main source of funding for the past 8 years has been donations through their own fundraising efforts, and their charity shop. Local support has been overwhelming, but is sadly not enough to secure the future of this vital service. Inishowen has a bigger population than Co Leitrim and a larger landmass than Co Louth. The only funded domestic violence support in the entire county of Donegal is located in Letterkenny – a 120km round-trip from Lifeline's Carndonagh base. This is simply impossible to access for Inishowen women and children in controlling and abusive households. Minister Zappone and TUSLA, we demand that the funding for Lifeline Inishowen's running costs is reinstated. The centralisation of domestic abuse services in a big, rural county like Donegal is disastrous for families in Inishowen. Closure of Lifeline will literally put lives at risk. Reinstate the funding to secure the future of these essential services in Inishowen. Lifeline Inishowen Charity nr: 19971

The safety and access requirements of all Kill residents both drivers and pedestrian has become treacherous with the increased volume of traffic through the village in recent years. There was a serious accident recently involving a schoolchild trying to cross the street which has brought focus onto the safety issue. There are also issues of access to housing estates and minor roads when there is no natural break in traffic and also no road markings or lights to allow a fair balance in the movement of said traffic. *UPDATE* It is now October 2020 and apparently KCC have been leading us on a not so merry dance, they say that although the funding is available and that a local firm offered to install the crossing... WE ARE NOT GETTING A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING. How can the decision makers sleep at night? KCC are happy to give planning permission for more houses to be built in Kill but are not willing to add the necessary infrastructure for the growing population! A traffic count was conducted during lockdown, showing an unrealistic picture of traffic volumes through the village ... fantastic logic. We as a community will not give up fighting for the safety of our village!

Several Children and parents were let down yesterday when they received their letters from the local Secondary School, over hundred on the waiting list. The situation already looks grim for over hundred families and since Rush and Lusk have been dynamically expanding fears arose that the situation can only get worse in the coming years. Commuting is not a solution. Rush needs more Secondary School places.

The Irish Centre for Fetal and Neonatal Translational Research (INFANT) is Ireland’s first dedicated perinatal research Centre. INFANT works to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies by focusing on clinical and health research and innovation in pregnancy, birth and early childhood. This is the only research Centre in Ireland focused on this work. Research focused on mothers and children must be prioritized.

In our work in Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, we see the often life-long consequences of the trauma and harm caused by sexual violence of all kinds. We also know from our experience that some of this harm results from a lack of knowledge around how to engage in healthy intimate relationships. A 2018 survey conducted by the Irish Second Level Student Union revealed over 87.5% of students did not have regular Relationship or Sexuality Education. This means the majority of Irish students are not learning about sexual consent, gender diversity, sexual orientation, contraception, or sexual health. We believe our education system can do better, and that the Government has a responsibility to look after the social, emotional and sexual development of young people.

The top nine reasons why this is important is 1) We do not want to lose the SDCC depot as this will severely erode the ability to maintain the high standards within the park thereby threatening our Green Flag status 2) We will lose the precious and unique urban farm that delights children 3) We will lose the socially inclusive community garden 4) We will lose the St John of God garden that provides horticultural therapy for people with various disabilities 5) The highly invasive Giant Knotweed is present on the site. The proposal to move it is dangerous and reckless as Whitestown Stream runs parallel to the proposed building site 6) We will lose the last remains of a 200 year old bridge that should be a protected structure 7) Every inch of Sean Walsh Park is an Objective OS zoned area i.e.to preserve and provide for open space and recreational amenities (as set out in the SDCC Development Plan 2016-2022) 8) Putting old peoples homes beside Tallaght Stadium which hosts matches regularly and will host concerts represents extremely poor planning 9) There is at least one more appropriate site available in Tallaght for the proposed Cluid development that would not not cause any of the foregoing problems and issues. *If you wish to support our offline please email [email protected] with your name and address* See why Sean Walsh Park should be preserved from property development: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MpP7Osf3YYo