Across Ireland, students are struggling to adapt to online learning. Even those with decent broadband and working computers are reporting difficulty keeping up and paying attention. Pre-recorded lectures with little interaction leave lecturers seeming even less approachable than before, courses which previously had time allocated to practical sessions now have significantly less or none at all. All of this, on top of the loneliness that students are facing as they remain isolated from their peers, has resulted in a massive decline in the quality of our education. We are left feeling like we are paying for the opportunity to teach ourselves. This is unacceptable. All this when the Republic of Ireland has the highest student contribution fee in the EU, with our peers in the North paying even more. The current measures that have been taken by the government to aid this situation, the free laptop scheme and €250 refund, are welcome but simply not enough. Students who paid for accommodation, only to learn that all their classes would online, deserve better. Students who are teaching themselves and feel as if they’re attending “YouTube University” deserve better. Students without strong broadband who are forced to rely on mobile data deserve better. Many of the facilities that our fees are supposed to be paying for are closed, while we still pay the same amount as last year. We demand a full refund of fees this year, and that the Department of Further and Higher Education begin to seriously consider the abolition of tuition fees. Education is a human right, and it’s high time it is treated as such. After signing this petition please share your online learning story with #WhatAmIPayingFor, and don’t forget to tag Simon Harris, Micheál Martin, the Department of Further and Higher Education and your local TDs! After you've done that, we encourage you to join catuireland.org, a tenant & community action union that's taking on landlords who are taking the piss. Finally, we're organising an open Zoom meeting to discuss further campaigns, actions and occupations that can take place to fight for our fees. Join us on the 3rd of December at 6 pm here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUvceCorz4rGdcVB0A01oKRAGT6wtOte2Hj

Shocking amount of unnecessary single use plastic bags being used, bad. Are they paying the levy for all these bags? It would be very easy to switch to brown paper bags(similar to TK maxx) for most of their

The Pandemic Universal Payment of €350 per week for all those who lost their income as a result of the Covid19 crisis was a welcome move by the caretaker government and an admission that the current social welfare rates and their previously proposed €203 payment were wholly inadequate. Currently the payment is set to run until 19 June. The payment needs to stay in place until the end of the current health emergency and until the full recovery of employment lost as a result of the pandemic. Any attempt to "taper off" the payment, as recently suggested by Minister Paschal Donohoe, may result in people being pushed back into a workplace before it is safe and financially punish them for a loss of income that was completely out of their control. The current payment does not cover all those who lost income as a result of the crisis. Many of those who work in the gig economy or in precarious employment were deemed ineligible because they were not working on or after 6 March. Both Over 66s and Under 18s who were working prior to the crisis were also deemed ineligible. The payment should be expanded to include these workers. The rate of €350 is an unofficial admission by the caretaker government that the current social welfare rates are wholly inadequate and rates for all social welfare payments including those on state pensions, disability and job seeker payments should now be increased to €350 per week. These measures should be taken as a first step towards creating a Universal Basic Minimum Payment to eradicate poverty in Irish society.

It raises quality of life for everyone; with more adequate living standards for the many people that are now barely surviving on a very unjust minimum wage that puts 'gross' profit before human individuals, families and communities whose welfare is the very cornerstone of our society in the first place.

It's been a tragedy. Last week, those who called for a postponement of operations that could be planned and for the freeing up of hospital capacities were branded as fear-mongers. "Ireland is different!" Or "don't panic!" Were messages that we received. In the meantime, you seem to have understood, Mr Harris, that Ireland can quickly become Italy and it will have been foreseeable. Intensive care units, protective clothing and nursing staff were lacking in Italy, it’s the same for us. It doesn't make a difference, however, because even with existing beds and technology, who will care for patients in the intensive care units, who will operate the ventilators? Who will checks on them when they are in pain? Delayed action is of course very dangerous in a pandemic and costs lives! We hope that you have finally understood that nursing staff are the silver line between disaster and survival for our nation. We understand that you have started instructing hospital managers to involve pensioners and students in the process. First of all, it is not you who is solely responsible for this catastrophic situation, but also your predecessors. But nursing staff should have expected a little more substance in recent years than idle promises. One thing is becoming clearer than ever: you as minister for health have the task of ensuring that in a crisis situation nurses are safe and supported. Of course, we will not save the day now by continuing to work without proper recognition and a safe environment to work in. We call on you now to give very clear promises: nursing staff are a valuable asset that must now be protected and valued! It is a pity that this truth has not yet gotten through to everyone. Sometimes, sadly, it takes a crisis for the truth to be revealed. It seems that more than 20% of all infected cases are nursing staff. And you have left it up to individual hospitals to source protective gear. It may surprise you, but that's not how it works! This pandemic has been coming for weeks! It is also not the first globally spreading viral disease. As hard-working citizens we expected more preparation for this crisis. We call for Immediate organisation and supply of effective protective clothing taking into account all possibilities. In a state of emergency, you will promise to nationalise manufacturers of equipment and their suppliers to protect our nursing staff! Immediate suspension of all exams for care facilities in Ireland. Firstly, this is a possible source of infection, and secondly, everything must be avoided that, in this crisis situation, takes additional work time for the nursing staff, which is then missing in the care of the patients. Mobilisation of all nurses from these test authorities for use in practice. An immediate and reliable promise of a strong, state-funded wage supplement for everyone who can withstand this situation, who bring their children to emergency care groups, who work overtime, who cannot take breaks, who cannot comply with rest periods. An immediate commitment of significant wage increases for nurses, which must be at an entry-level salary of 4,000 euros. You can save the refinancing for the period after this crisis. We urge you! Without these measures, the ventilation machines will become redundant, because there will be no one left to operate them! Act now, Mr Harris, before it's too late.

It is the most important thing in life it would reduce all of the issues across the bored if we are are going to fight for mental health we should start with the younger generations we need to give them tools to help others and help themselves it is fundamental to have something in our shcools at a young age

Galway is becoming a carbon copy city and losing what makes it special. It is becoming uniform, full of multinational chains instead of the beautiful independent businesses it once had and is famous for.

The cost of insurance is ruining the country causing all sorts of disruption to business and leisure activity. A referendum would allow us to move onto the same system as the rest of the EU (ex UK) where awards are determined by Government and not the Courts.

I'd like to become a 'new' registered State Marriage Officer. Voluntarily I'm involved in a 'regenerate Tipp town' effort. If people wanted low fuss/cost weddings (once three months notice etc. followed) for a bit of local tourism I'd pick them up at Limerick Junction (the Railways crossroads of Ireland) whisk them to our deconsecrated Famine workhouse chapel/Glen of Aherlow/Rock of Cashel/Swiss cottage for a service. Right now I am 'barred' from becoming a Solemnizer. More importantly - we may have voted for marriage equality - but the practicalities (which sends many tourist dollars abroad) of booking a solemnizer/officer is quite different. Many go for a church wedding now - not as their first choice - but because it's extremely difficult to find a solemnizer otherwise. Here's a breakdown - online / HSE you'll see current list of approx. 5000 'approved' solemnizers. 76% of those were put on the list by virtue of being R. Catholic church priests (all men). There are say another 20% as 'religious - many some form of Christian , Jews, Muslims, Protestants and minority religions things like Celtic mystics, druids, witches etc all included. That leaves say 4% deemed 'non religious'/secular. For those who want a cold impersonal Registry office wedding during office hours only - not with friends at the weekend 3% of that 4% is HSE/civil servants for office hours/town hall weddings (which suit some - but others go midweek to get the paperwork only and get another celebrant/not on Solemnizer list for their weekend do with their friends - they do it not by choice that way). Of course we do 'hunt' some abroad with all this 'BS'. So now - below 1% - we are at what the State reckons will do you even if supply not meeting demand. Our 1% can only apply 'via' the Spiritualists or the Humanists. Both are philosophies/isms even if not religions. You can 'play along' and pretend you're a Spiritualist or a Humanist for the day - even though you might be against what they stand for. But that's it. You want non religious? OK - there's Registry office for you midweek if you don't want a wait. Don't like those? Contact the Humanists or Spiritualists. You don't really 'follow' their thing and don't like Registry idea. It's the big bad aeroplane for you. You don't want to answer a question about religion? Cultural catholic not a regular massgoer? Well lots of priests would prefer you'd go elsewhere (pity they have 3/4 of the 'supply' side cornered. Let's see - you're a committed aethiest/agnostic/deist/no ism - don't want registry office - did you try Vegas? You're gay - well we know straight off 3/4 of them won't touch you even if you're a committed Catholic. That's why licences shouldn't be given via bodies/religions. You don't join the Humanists just so you can apply to join the Gardai - via the Humanists. The approved body approach is not fit for purpose/beyond patching up. A new system where any individual can apply. Gender quota'ed. I'd have national supply limits / usage monitoring, supply matched to preference demand whether by religion etc. Have some training and monitoring these new State Marriage Officials. Transition period where current Solemnizers can get onto new list. If say a priest doesnt want to reapply to the new system they continue doing church weddings - but - a reg. official maybe does the State's business in Church Registry etc. In other countries it is a simple State function - uncoupled from religions - they are not 'approving bodies' etc. We gave equal marriage to some of our citzens which they didn't have before. Now it's time for this bit of housekeeping to bring us into the 21st century.

It would allow for a peaceful resolution if May was actually willing to agree to it, and even if (or I suspect when) it was rejected out of hand it would do good for the relationship between reasonable Ulster Unionist political factions and our Republic.

It’s time the Irish people's voice is heard so we are asking you to sign this petition requesting Simon Harris to go back to the drawing board and negotiate a better deal, change design, or look for new contractors, whatever it takes to stop such a despicable waste of hard working tax payers money. This is gross mismanagement, and incompetence of government to deliver a service within a reasonable budget. Other desperately needed health facilities across the country will not go a head or will be dramatically delayed for up to 10 years. That means in your local area you will not have adequate facilities such as MRI scanning and adequate orthopaedic facilities to name just a few. Please share your voice.

not only is this going to lead to an unprecedented slaughter of one of our natural predatory fish species ,it will also lead to an environmental imbalance in the waters eco systems - pike feed mainly on sick ,dying and distressed fish - this helps keep the waters delicate ecosystem in check - in short it is natures way of balancing the books ,the unnecessary and indiscriminate killing of pike without restriction to any size ,weight or number will lead to an imbalance . pike are not only predatory fish but also cannibalistic in as such as they will feed on their own species -- this helps keep down the number of smaller 'jack ' pike in any water - killing and removing larger pike will lead to an explosion af smaller jack pike , these smaller jack's can only eat fish that are again smaller than themselves - so will feed on younger fish and fry of other species - leading to a reduction in the numbers of those species - jack pike are far more likely to devour more 'prey' in one day than a larger -older pike would -so the more jacks a water holds -the more small fish and fry that get eaten , conservation wise the decision to allow the unlimited killing of pike across the western fisheries region is akin to shooting ones self in the foot - a pointless and painful exercise . in addition to the environmental aspect of this 'cull ' there are also other aspects that must be considered - ireland rely's on the tourist industry , a large part of ireland's tourism is t in the angling and sport fishing sector - over 1 million anglers per year come to fish irish water - that number of anglers bring many benefits - businesses such as tackle and bait suppliers , b&b's ,guest houses , holiday homes ,hotels ,bars ,pubs, cafe's restaurants, boat hire companies ,petrol stations ,camping sites all gain from anglers visiting these shores - in the to late 1980s ireland attracted almost as many anglers as there were residents -some 3 million per year - those numbers have declined because of issues with water quality ,access to rivers ,lakes and fisheries , poor water management and maintenance - but over the last 5-6 years tourist numbers have been on an upward trend and are now back over the 1 million mark for the first time in a decade . many of those anglers come here because of the excellent pike fishing - especially the uk, french ,german and dutch anglers - a great many of those anglers are so disgusted by this backwards step to allow the unregulated slaughter of predatory species especially pike that they are considering removing ireland from the list of countries to visit - the knock on effect to the tourism industry and other small local businesses would be devastating to say the least - imagine losing at least 1 quarter of your prospective business !! therefore im asking people -not just anglers but also those interested in the conservation and natural resources of this country to sign this petition and try to get this disgraceful decision reversed . thank you