**WE NEED SUPPORT TO SAVE OUR HOME** This is our story: With rents soaring to an all time high and mortgages becoming harder to obtain, we needed a plan. Like most people our age, renting in the private sector whilst also trying to save became impossible. That's when the idea of temporarily living in a cabin (to the rear of a privately owned home) to continue to save up for our own home, became appealing. If fortunate enough to be in a position to do this, that's great. The council will not have a problem with it nor will they approach you. Planners acknowledge the proliferation of log cabins across the city. If no objections are made they can turn a blind eye. However, if there is an objection.. Then it becomes a "planning issue". Which brings us to our current situation, in short.. DCC enforcement have ordered the cabin to be removed on the basis of one complaint, from one neighbour. There's not much need to go into details but everyone who is familiar with the situation has seen first hand how this particular neighbour has treated myself and my family throughout this ordeal and I can only hope that they hang their head in shame at their disgusting behaviour. We're calling on the council to relax the laws and clarify the grey area regarding permission for these sorts of temporary structures at the upcoming meeting on 25th september. I'm not suggesting allowing these structures is going to fix the housing crisis. There are record numbers nearing 20,000 on Dublin City councils housing list. 1,338 families with 2,886 children are living in homeless accommodation in the Dublin area. Building houses is the only real solution but Ireland does not have a public housing system to meet the needs of society and the countries housing crisis is most likely down to housing being treated as a commodity rather than a human right. It's simply not acceptable. The right to housing is recognised by the United Nations (article 25 in the universal declaration of human rights) and the UN have been active in highlighting homelessness as a VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS. Being deprived of a home gives rise to a social identity through which "the homeless" is constituted as a social group subject to discrimination and stigmatisation. This housing crisis affects people in so many different ways, and it's going to continue to affect us and have a knock on affect for years to come. Most frightening, its damaging the children, the youth of this country and in turn the future of this country. If by allowing these structures temporarily will help even a few families avoid being part of these statistics.. It's worth it right? Because every family matters. Just one of the many "immediate obligation of states" from the UN is to eliminate the practice of forced eviction, especially when it would lead to homelessness. I believe that having a place to call home is the most fundamental of human rights. For me personally a "home" is somewhere safe and secure where my two boys can feel comfortable and be themselves. This is exactly what we have provided for them as our response to this housing crisis and we won't let it be taken away from them without a fight. Please help us raise awareness on this and show your support by signing our petition..thank you!

We are asking Fingal County Council to implement new child safety measures for the Seabury Estate in Malahide. Child Safety Measures Needed: 1. New ramp between Seabury Place and Seabury Crescent 2. New signage to say 'Slow Down - Children at play' along Seabury Lane and Seabury Crescent 3. Speed limit to be reduced (currently it's 50km/hr) 4. Business Work Vans are parked out on the road (we kindly request that they park in their driveways or elsewhere) ________________________________________________ Why are we requesting these safety measures? - In recent years, many of the local, younger children have been playing outside on the road. - They usually play here in the cul-de-sac or just beyond the dangerous junction where Seabury Lane meets Seabury Crescent. - Signs to indicate appropriate driving speeds / children at play are not clearly visible. - It has been noted that some cars drive from Seabury Place onto Seabury Lane at high speeds and with little regard for the children at play. - Many cars also turn from Estuary Road onto Seabury Lane and drive at high speeds, despite the small ramp which is about half way down the road. - There are cars parked along Seabury Lane, including 2 or sometimes 3 large white work vans parked along Seabury Lane which make it more difficult for drivers to see children playing up ahead.

Blessington and the surrounding areas have a growing young population. Presently the residents must travel outside of our community to Naas or Tallaght to access swimming facilities. The nearest community swimming pool to West Wicklow, provided by Wicklow County Council, is in Bray, an hour drive away from Blessington by car. According to the 2016 Census the municipal district population of West Wicklow is over 26,000 people. A community swimming pool would be of great benefit to the local communities and would help promote physical exercise, water safety and provide local employment. We believe that a community swimming pool needs to be provided for the growing population of West Wicklow.

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/