Ireland is a destination and source country for women, men and children subjugated to sex trafficking and forced labour. In the past week, the US State Department has downgraded Ireland from Tier 1 to Tier 2 ranking in its latest Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, putting Ireland on par with India and Indonesia. This shouldn't be happening in a country with the resources that Ireland has. We can't accept this. We can't allow people from poorer countries to be lured to Ireland with false promises of legal visas and good wages, only to be forced into labour in the fisheries industry or producing illegal drugs. We can't allow vulnerable women and children from Ireland and abroad to be sexually exploited on our soil. We can't allow Ireland be used as an international hub for these activities! Terrible international criminal gangs have identified Ireland as a weak point and are using it as a sick trade port, where women, men and children from all over Europe and beyond are shipped into and out of, destined for terrible fates. We need to rescue these people and put a stop to it!

Both Gemma O'Doherty (award winning journalist) https://gemmaodoherty.com/ and respected financial whistleblower Johnathon Sugarman http://whistleblowerirl.blogspot.com/ have un blemished track records in uncovering political and financial corruption for the public good in Ireland. Notably issues that are totally relevent, newsworthy, affect peoples lives and need to be known by the Irish public. For instance Gemma O'Doherty was the first to uncover the penalty points scandal and has yet to be interviewed or allowed to comment on this issue! Johnathon Sugarman who is a financial whistleblower with indepth knowledge about the financial and banking corruption that is rife including the recent Drumm judgement. Why have they not been asked to comment? Is this a form of media censorship? Many People believe that for any other reason than balance alone they should be given a voice on mainstream media otherwise this is a form of Censorship in Ireland.

Forcibly separating children from their parents is a traumatic experience that will cause “irreparable harm”. The actions of Trump has caused outrage - even amongst his supporters. The more people who speak out the stronger the likelihood this cruel and extreme policy will be overturned.

The year 2017 marked twenty years since Ireland’s first comprehensive plan to address poverty: the National Anti-Poverty Strategy 1997-2006. The year 2018 marked key anniversary for End Poverty activists and for the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights! The 30th anniversary of the death of Joseph Wresinski, the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, the centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela (who launched the Make Poverty History Campaign) and the 70 years of the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The year 2019 is starting with the Centenary of the first meeting of Dáil Éireann which occurred on 21 January 1919 in the Round Room of the Dublin Mansion House. In this first and highly symbolic meeting, the proceedings of the Dáil were conducted for the only time entirely in the Irish language, except for previously drafted declarations including the proclamation of the "Democratic Programme" including the following pledge: "It shall be the first duty of the Government of the Republic to make provision for the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of the children, to secure that no child shall suffer hunger or cold from lack of food, clothing, or shelter, but that all shall be provided with the means and facilities requisite for their proper education and training as Citizens of a Free and Gaelic Ireland." On the day of the Centenary, the Irish Times in partnership with the Children Rights' Alliance launched the #NoChild2020 campaign! No Child 2020 is an initiative by Fintan O'Toole and other Irish Times' journalists aiming to provide a sustained focus on child welfare and children’s issues over the coming year. We believe that Ireland needs a new Integrated Framework for Social Inclusion, to tackle inequality and poverty. We know Ireland faces major challenges: - to end the Housing Crisis - to deliver the SlainteCare’s vision for a better and fairer health system - to tackle Child Poverty and the poverty faced by the children's families - to implement the 17 Global Goals set down in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development including action to limit climate change with a strong concern for climate justice - to become a society with communities ready to leave no one behind, the promise of the UN 2030 Agenda If we are serious about tackling these issues, and serious about lifting people out of poverty and eliminating its causes, we must have a consistent, comprehensive plan to address poverty and social exclusion. Such a plan will only succeed if it is owned by civil society at large and also by the people experiencing poverty, not just politicians and the organisations that work to combat inequality and exclusion. Our call to action: let's walk as one to end poverty! In the follow-up of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (10 December 2018), as Ireland marks the Centenary of the Democratic Programme, strengthened by the launch of the "No Child 2020" initiative, inspired by the "End Poverty" legacies of Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, inspired also by the pledge of Joseph Wresinski: "To come together is our solemn duty," and following the call by Mary Robinson and the Elders to "Walk Together", we seek a new approach. Let's bring everyone who wants to make a difference together! All stakeholders: public bodies, teachers, trainers and researchers, corporates and services, youth groups and pensioners, and the people who fight against the poverty and stigma that they experience. Let's say: "We – citizens, workers, leaders, managers, carers, parents, activists or professionals or both – are ready to be part of the End Poverty plan. We all need to own this plan: to know the goals and own them. Together we wish to take part in a strong participatory process to make the next Anti-Poverty Plan the best ever. Those who live with poverty and social exclusion deserve it. They also should have the opportunity help develop this new plan. And when the plan is in place they should be able to play their part to ensure it is implemented. I have a role to play and I support this call to action and would like to be involve in the design, implementation and monitoring of our common plan!” Let us leave no one behind! All together in dignity!"

We the undersigned believe that the decision of Callan Community Network (CCN) to issue a formal Notice to Quit to the Droichead FRC is clear evidence that CCN is now unwilling to resolve the current difficulties through meaningful dialogue. Prior to issing the eviction order CCN have also previously walked away from talks with Droichead FRC & the Friary Trust. The Board of Directors of Droichead FRC have always engaged in a positive and progressive manner and at all times have acted in the best interests of those families who use the community childcare facility and the wider Callan community generally. The decision by CCN to issue a formal Notice to Quit has jeopardised the long-standing community childcare service, placed several jobs under threat and has caused significant distress to the service provider, its employees and dozens of local families. In addition, CCN has, to date, ignored repeated calls from service users, local residents and a number of public representative’s to formally withdraw the Notice to Quit. We therefore request that they issue a public statement of resignation within 14 days being supplied with this petition and signatures. This, we believe, is the only avenue available to us that will protect the future of our community childcare service, its employees and service users from further distress and uncertainty. We will be submitting signatures along with a letter requesting resignation.

Irish people are supportive of the idea of sponsoring refugee families. Let's start the ball rolling by offering Moussa and his family safety and urgent medical treatment to save his sight. They have already lost their home and live in horrific conditions in Lebanon where medical services are completely stretched. They are approved for resettlement but have not been offered a safe haven so far. This little boy needs urgent medical care which Ireland can provide, and he does not have time to waste. We have the capacity to sponsor this family and many of us are willing to do what we can financially, socially, emotionally to support this boy's family to get to Ireland. Let's make this happen for Moussa and start the important conversation about refugee family sponsorship in Ireland. https://www.facebook.com/Channel4News/videos/10154734027521939/

It is incredibly important for our children to feel equal to their peers and that there is adequate education and support surrounding neurodiversity for the children and their families.

Gaeilge is an essential part of our culture and heritage. It is important for us as a younger generation to carry on this culture in a practical and open way. I understand that the reasons for the Sráith Pictiúrí is for students to see what is in front of them and communicate to the examiner in our native language what is happening. I know that it is not your wish for students to learn them off by heart and recite them like robots. The aim is to embrace and grow our language and teach students to speak it as well as understand it. For this reason i strongly believe that 10 Sráith pictiúr will have just as much benefit, if not more, to accelerating our knowledge of irish, then 20. Randomly selecting one from 20 is the same as randomly selecting one from 10, except that it allows students to relax that little bit more and be more capable of having confidence in themselves to speak the language more fluently. Relieving the stress without decreasing the academic benefit will be endlessly helpful for festering a love for our native tongue in the younger generation. Something which is vital for the continuation of our unique and wonderful culture.

Single-sex schools provide no academic advantage, as study finds. * The findings are based on an analysis of data from nearly 5,000 15 year olds in Ireland which examined the association between attending a single-sex school and performance in maths, reading and science. There was no difference in maths, science or reading performance for 15-year-old students after adjusting for the background of the student and other school-level factors. This result was found for both boys and girls. There are multiple reports of single-sexed school being responsible for teenagers to not be well integrated with the other gender. Psychologists also say girls in single-sex schools are more likely to suffer from social or emotional problems. There is more pressure to perform in single-sexed school, especially for girls. Stop the divide. Let all Irish children learn together. * https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/berj.3841 ** https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/the-problem-with-all-girls-schools-1.3399028 *** Additional notes: https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/education/2023/02/22/single-sex-schools-provide-no-academic-advantage-study/

The first memory of sacrament for our children is their First Holy Communion, a lifelong and important memory to share with their childhood friends. The revised policy in the Archdiocese of Dublin is to separate children making their Holy Communion with their school friends as a group. In the school that my daughter attends it means that 12 children across two classes will make their Holy Communion over 3 consecutive Sundays. The Archdiocese state that the revised policy advocates for “small group celebrations” for a “more prayerful and personal experience”. Our 8 and 9 year old children are excited about this sacrament and sharing the experience with all of their peers.

quantum proliferation ,young kids hurtling dangerously around on roads and pavement ,deadly accident potential if trend continues particularly in dark winter months

Babies cannot safely get the vitamin D they need from the sun and they need vitamin D because: -between 0 to 12 months babies grow very quickly and have a greater need for vitamin D to form strong bones. -Research shows that vitamin D plays an important role in helping the immune system. It may help prevent diabetes, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, MS (multiple sclerosis) and some forms of cancer. -African, Afro-Caribbean, Middle-Eastern or Indian parents are more likely to have babies with low levels of vitamin D.