I am writing to you today as a primary school teacher, and more importantly as a mother of two young boys who are disabled. My four year old is a full-time wheelchair user and we are unsure yet as to whether his younger brother will also require a wheelchair. My boys are both bright, intelligent, inquisitive children who are highly sociable. In light of current events during this pandemic, I have seen so many parents and teachers discuss how this may impact our kids and the overwhelming consensus amongst us all have been concerns regarding the possible implications on their social development as they cannot play with their friends, explore nature, play freely and make new friends at local playgrounds etc. It has really made me stop and think as these have been ongoing concerns of mine due to our sons’ mobility needs. The truth of it is, we have found it very difficult to find playgrounds where Oscar can play. As well as not having any wheelchair friendly equipment for use, many playgrounds have completely inaccessible ground coverings like tree bark. I’m a firm believer that if I have an issue with something, I will try to offer alternative suggestions in order to help resolve said issue. A simple Google image search for ‘wheelchair friendly activities in playground’ yields a plethora of equipment that is accessible not only for users of wheelchairs, walkers and buggies, but also for children without disabilities. Slieve Gullion Forest Park is close to where we live and would be the best we have experienced. It’s not lost on me that this particular playground is in Northern Ireland, where the UK has much stricter protocol for accessible planning regulations. Within my local area in recent times, I’ve seen two new playgrounds built, one completely inaccessible to wheelchairs due to the bark surfaces and use of steep hills in its designs. It absolutely baffles me how in these times when we are seemingly a progressive country, that we completely omit the needs and right to play of a whole category of children. We teach inclusion and diversity in our schools every day, yet when this is not practised by our leaders, it is unforgiveable. We cannot accept this as an oversight any longer, we cannot accept the meagre list of accessible playgrounds dotted few and far between across the entire country. There is very little opportunity for a family to engage in a spontaneous stop-off at the playground when the statistics show that the playground will more than likely be inaccessible for the disabled child. Accessibility needs to be engrained within everything we plan for our public spaces. Untold damage is being done to our disabled children when they are being excluded and made to feel less than in their own hometowns. - Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that: “Every child is entitled to rest and play and to have the chance to join in a wide range of activities including cultural and artistic activities.” - Article 30(5d) of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities states that “children with disabilities should have equal access with other children to participation in play, recreation and leisure and sporting activities, including those activities in the school system.” Outdoor natural areas are another area which raise accessible issues within the disability community. I can only speak from my own experience, as an avid nature lover and mother to two children with mobility needs. I understand that the natural world is best left to its own devices and can be highly inaccessible. However, a lot of our natural amenities that are open to the public have some sort of surface laid down as a path for the public to use. Why not go one step further and make sure that surface is also wheelchair friendly? The choice of what gravel is used can make all the difference for wheelchair users’ accessibility. The Irish Wheelchair Association has published a guide called The Great Outdoors which provides excellent detail. As an island country, our beaches are areas of beauty which everyone should be able to access, and not just from the side-lines. Beach wheelchairs are available at some sites, but not nearly enough, particularly at times of the year when they are in high demand. Availability of sand mats such as Access Trax would open up access immensely. “Foldable, lightweight, portable pathways for accessibility over outdoor terrain” would allow wheelchair users to roll right onto the beach as well as walking mobility aids, buggies and prams. - Article 30 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recognises that disabled people should “Enjoy access to places for cultural performances or services, such as theatres, museums, cinemas, libraries and tourism services, and, as far as possible, enjoy access to monuments and sites of national cultural importance.” As an educator and a parent, all I want is for my children to be allowed every and equal opportunity to thrive and make their mark on the world. I am available for any discussion should you wish, but I would ask you to note that I am just one voice of many. My voice pertains to my experience as a parent of my disabled children. There are many voices of other parents , but most importantly voices of disabled adults who have lived through experiences of being excluded and treated differently and unfairly. This is only one area of accessibility we have come up against, and unfortunately, I am not naïve enough to hope that it is our last.

Imagine cycling safely from Cork University Hospital/Cork University Maternity Hospital to Grand Parade and on to the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, all the while separated from cars and HGV trucks by protective barriers. On the way you pass the Bon Secours Hospital, UCC and the Mercy University Hospital. Health care workers have always cycled to work, and between the various city hospital campuses. But during the COVID19 pandemic, they were given a glimpse of what it might be like to cycle safely on the then quieter streets. The traffic is back. Now as lockdown eases we urge Cork City Council to boldly implement measures that will protect us, and all citizens of Cork, who make these journeys. Clapping for healthcare workers is easy. Making the city better for all citizens requires vision and leadership. The people of Cork were recently asked through social media: Would you like to see your front-line healthcare workers protected on their way to and from work? The response was unanimous: YES! #CorkHospitalCycleway. A protected cycleway. If this is something you'd be interested in? We'd love to hear from you. Are you a healthcare worker, patient, student or local business? What would this mean to you? Where do you work? Tell us your story… We will pass on your views to the various executives in our hospitals, UCC, Cork City Council. Let us remember the recent losses and sacrifices made by our front-line workers, by enacting a real and positive change to transform our city into a healthier, safer and more caring place to live and work.

Everyone deserves to enjoy the beauty of a local park and that includes Daniel and his family. Dan has Sotos Syndrome and goes out daily with his amazing parents, Sinead and Keith for runs in his special buggy. Running the park, chatting to locals and saying hello has been a highlight, especially during C-19 as all day services etc. are closed. Now with these new gates, the Tighe family along with lots of other families are now PROHIBITED from entering our parks. This is wrong and SDCC need to remove this prison like gates and let those who are in wheelchairs etc. use the park like everyone else.

My name is Richard Hanlon a co-owner of Busyfeet & Coco Cafe Dublin's oldest Fair-trade Cafe on South William street established in 2001. My concern is the lack of availability of public toilets in Dublin's city centre currently and into the future, with only 2 public toilets operational at Connelly & Hueston stations for a city of 650k people at this time. The current crisis has accentuated the urgent issue of the city’s poor hygiene infrastructure which will have an adverse effect on both public health and the survival of city centre commercial areas.  Under the road map to reopen Ireland’s society and economy we will move from Phase 1 to Phase 2 on June 8th. This will mean significantly increased movement of citizens and an influx to the city which will be a major event within Dublin. This also will be a key economic turning point for the Dublin city center commerce, but due to ongoing restrictions there will be no accessible toilet or handwashing facilities for the public to use till Phase 3 June 28th. When some hospitality  and retailers  could allow access to their loos. As an SME operator of coffee shops in both the city centre and suburbs, I am acutely aware of my customers requirement for easily accessible toilets. It is also very clear that the demands between the city and suburbs are vastly different during these times. People using suburban hospitality venues such as neighbourhood cafes for takeaway are within easy access of their own homes and bathroom facilities. The 20 days period between Phase 2 & 3 will be a pivotal time for businesses in the city, who badly need to reopen and help kickstart the economy. The “No Place to Go” feeling will be a negative consequence of having no temporary public toilets available from June 8th in Dublin city centre, making returning custom much less unlikely ‘A first impression is a lasting impression to a customer’.  In a survey more than half agreed that the lack of public toilets stopped them from going out as often as they would like. Any further loss to future trade in the coming months in the city centre will be devastating economically, pushing most businesses to bankruptcy. The ‘Urinary leash’ will not only hold back all of us from venturing into the city center but it will hold back the country.  There have been too many years of debating and deliberating about public toilets and in 2018 the Green Party hailed the achievement of 300k allocation of funds for public toilets, but this was never used and on the 25th May 2020 meetings with DCC called for temporary public toilets to be facilitated ahead of Phase 2 June 8th, but no budget or allocation could be agreed. Why is it so difficult to talk toilets in a modern age?  Dublin is Ireland’s economic engine and  250,000 people work in Dublin 1 and 2 alone.  On average, 300,000 people visit Dublin city centre each day, but with the expected drop in footfall due to working from home requirements, reduced transport capacity and social distancing the hospitality sector alone is looking to operate at a maximum of c.45% capacity.  We could be looking at up to 150,000 less people a day, which will mean the closure of many.  Without the hospitality sector there will be no adequate toilet facilities within Dublin City, so we must come up with a solution for both short term and long term so we can maintain Dublin City as an attractive destination.  Who will return to the city centre, when they cannot find toilets and handwashing places during this COVID 19 crisis? Would you?  Without people, we have no commerce and Dublin has no future. Dublin City Council has to spend more than a penny now and act for the people of Dublin, so let's see them make a positive move soon and save our Dublin city’s heart from dirt, dereliction and disintegration. City councillors and local politicians are eager to promote the rapid implementation of pedestrianisation of central zones and push for increased cycling as an important step to our future, even during this current health emergency. However, we should be reminded of our past where cycling and public toilets were commonplace and interlinked as we travelled further from our home privies.  Does the council want to add to the increased unsanitary practices which are currently taking place in the city? Does the council want to force the public into a situation in which they are unable to wash their hands, when the HSE & our Taoiseach are telling us that it is essential to public health? DCC need to act swiftly or further compound the the ability of the city commercial areas to survive.

These smaller branches are a key part of the local economy in towns like Monasterevin and Kilcullen. They are particularly important to older people who are not equipped to follow the trend that the banks are pushing towards online banking. The presence of a bank in small towns is a key reason why small businesses choose to locate there. They are also an important consideration when people choose to move to rural areas.

Clusters of COVID-19 are emerging in Nursing homes across the country putting very vulnerable people at risk. In order to protect residents and to cut down on the number of infections, staff in Nursing homes need to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at all times irrespective of whether or not they themselves are symptomatic.

Following the 2017 Dáil committee, on the future on Health in Ireland, it was agreed by all parties that a single-tiered healthcare system, called Sláintecare, was the best way forward. (2) Fine Gael agreed to implement this but dragged their feet, lacking the commitment to fully fund the programme and not making it a priority. (3) Now, in the face of a global pandemic it is evident that Sláintecare is necessary to protect and care for the people of Ireland. 1) (https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/election-2020-exit-poll-confirms-health-housing-homelessness-of-most-concern-to-voters-1.4167030) 2) (https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/committees/32/future-of-healthcare/) 3) (https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/social-democrats-implementing-sl%C3%A1intecare-health-plan-a-red-line-for-coalition-1.4142849)

Both the Abortion Rights Campaign and the Government want to keep people safe during this emergency. It is in all of our interest to minimise the strain on our healthcare system and to prevent people who are not sick from coming into contact with those who are. Remote consultation is already in use in Ireland by, for example, VideoDoc and Spectrum Health, and more recently, by individual GPs as they adapt to the current crisis. Providing abortion consultations remotely has proven safe, effective, and acceptable in other jurisdictions. We urge the Minister for Health to clarify that an in-person visit is not required in order to satisfy the Act and put appropriate protocols in place. We urge the Minister for Justice to assure doctors they will not be prosecuted if they offer medical abortion remotely at this time. Sign the petition and let the Government know you support those who need to access abortion services, healthcare workers and all those working in the health sector.

This is a major challenge to the health well being of all our communities. It is crucial to stop the spread of the infection. It is recognizing the right of all to health and life.

A toxic combination of being cut off from family and friends, shut refuges, financial hardship, loss of work, closed schools and community services means women experiencing violence are in great danger because of Covid19. The Courts are barely open and even though they say they'll continue to hear emergency domestic violence cases, it's clear that it victims won't be able to get emergency barring orders because all other services they need - from childcare, support workers, transport, legal advice will be either non-existent or too hard to access. Its not clear what will happen if we are ordered to go into full lockdown. Women and children experiencing violence will effectively be locked in with violent partners - and no support system. The Istanbul Convention to which Ireland is a signatory requires for special measures to be taken to prevent and protect women from gender-based violence. 22 other European Countries that are signatories to the Istanbul Convention have already granted special powers to police to make Emergency Barring Orders Regions that have already seen large numbers of Covid-19 cases such as China and have taken measures to reduce the spread by confining people to their homes have reported significant increases in incidents of domestic violence. The time to act is now. About Sisi Sisi is a collective of survivors of intimate abuse in Ireland. It formed in Aug 2018 as an action group and voice for women. This is a unique survivor led platform in Ireland, and is a highly innovative way to bring lived survivor experience to inform state institutions and policies. Our vision is an Ireland where women are free from violence, including sexual abuse and coercive control. Our mission is to support women survivors of violence, including domestic abuse and coercive control, to be leaders, and to grow and develop utilizing their lived experiences and by taking collective action in the pursuit of freedom, equality and structural change.

We are in the containment stage of this virus. Holding mass nationwide gatherings will increase community contact and endanger the vunerable and others to infection. Our health service can't cope with normal flu never mind Corona Virus let's help out and pledge none attendance and participation in all St Patrick days events

Our schools are facing overwhelming challenges in the provision of education for our children with special needs. The campaign for The Right Inclusion Model for Every Child calls for the State to provide for the rights of every child to an education. To respect the rights of all of our children, sufficient resources must be provided to those who have special educational needs. The Proclamation of our Republic promises to ‘cherish all the children of the nation equally’. Under the current model, inadequate resourcing means that children with additional needs are not guaranteed their right to equal access to education. The goal of our campaign is to achieve cross-party support for The Right Inclusion Model for Every Child ahead of the General Election and to have the principles of this model included on the next Programme for Government. We assert that The Right Inclusion Model for Every Child must include; • SNA allocation to match the needs of the children • Transparency in the Process: There are currently not enough SNAs in the system to match the needs and the appeals process is not fit for purpose. The proposed General Allocation Model cannot match the needs going forward, given that current needs are not being met. Meaningful consultation with schools, parents and children’s advocacy groups is necessary to inform the right inclusion model. • Multi-Disciplinary teams: Immediate removal of waiting lists for Assessment of Need to ensure timely, appropriate access to multi-disciplinary services. This will require considerable increases in staffing and resourcing of the various services. • Options for children and their families: To have options of placements in mainstream schools, special classes within mainstream schools, and special schools according to each child’s needs. We are asking for every General Election Candidate to sign up to our campaign and to pledge to deliver The Right Inclusion Model for Every Child as a matter of priority in the next government.