In 2021, the Bus Éireann route 20/X20 was cancelled, impacting commuters in Galway City and towns such as Craughwell, Loughrea, Aughrim and Ballinasloe. The route was privatised and replaced with the 706/706X route ran by a private company. This route ignored Craughwell, Loughrea and Aughrim and left Ballinasloe with less frequent services. Now in 2024 the private route is being cancelled, with the company saying it is not profitable enough. Public transport is an essential public service and should be ran as such, not left to the whims of private companies.

Citibank, who are facilitating the supply of billions of pounds of Israeli weapons and enabling the slaughter of tens of thousands of Palestinians, [1] are also one of the main sponsors of this year's Belfast Pride Festival - the biggest LGBTQIA+ event in the city. This is pinkwashing at its very worst - using Belfast Pride and our LGBTQIA+ community to distract from their brutal business practices. Not only are they supporting weapons deals, Citibank is also funding several fossil fuel companies to drill for gas off Gaza, [3] - as thousands of innocent people are being massacred, and famine looms [4] as a result of Israel’s brutal siege. Israel has no right to grant licenses to companies to drill for oil or gas in the Palestinian territory. Fossil fuels have always been tied up with war and to extract oil and gas from a region whose population are being starved to death and brutally murdered, is a war crime. We demand that Belfast Pride Festival drops Citibank as one of its main sponsors! [1] https://www.bankingonsolidarity.org/citibank-and-palestinians-a-cruel-status-quo/ [2] https://fossilfreeciti.org/ [3] https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2024/3/6/israel-is-pillaging-not-just-gazas-cities-but-also-its-waters [4] https://www.politico.eu/article/famine-is-imminent-gaza-un-food-israel-hamas-hunger/

1. Hundreds of people living on Chapel road are dependent on cars to get access to a train station only a short distance away ( less than 2k) . 2. People risk their lives every day walking or cycling on treacherous Chapel road which has no paths, cycleways, street lights and poor drainage. 3. Poor parking at Portmarnock train station means Chapel road residents have limited options for commuting into work. 4. Chapel road residents have a right to be able to choose walking and cycling to help support positive climate change . 5. Stop climate pollution from unnecessary car journeys . Research has shown access to public transport significantly cuts car journeys . 6. Fingal County council have failed to listen to Chapel road residents and implementation of local area plan active travel development .

It is reckless and immoral to fund the fossil fuel industry when scientists are screaming at us that fossil fuels must remain in the ground if we are to have a chance at avoiding the worst scenarios of climate chaos. Pensions are funds put aside for our future, but there is no decent future on a planet ravaged by runaway climate change. The Automatic Enrolment (AE) Retirement Savings System Bill is an important piece of legislation which is being designed to simplify the pensions decision for workers and make it easier for employers to offer a workplace pension. Initially, approximately 750,000 workers will be enrolled into the AE pension scheme and that number will grow significantly over time. The pensions will be topped up, not just by employers, but also by state contributions. Therefore if these pension funds are invested in fossil fuels, the state too will be culpable. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection reviewed the draft Bill that would establish the AE pension scheme and included in its report the recommendation, "The Committee recommends that the investment funds be prohibited from investing in fossil fuels or the arms industry." https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/committee/dail/33/joint_committee_on_social_protection_community_and_rural_development_and_the_islands/reports/2023/2023-05-03_report-on-pre-legislative-scrutiny-of-the-general-scheme-of-the-automatic-enrolment-retirement-savings-system-bill-2022_en.pdf In 2018, Ireland became the first country in the world to divest from fossil fuel companies. It would be a huge step backwards to start investing vast sums of taxpayers', workers’ and employers’ money in those same fossil fuel companies again now. We call on Minister Heather Humphreys, as the Minister responsible for introducing the legislation establishing the AE Pensions Scheme, to implement the Oireachtas Committee's recommendation and keep this new pension fund from funding the escalation of climate disasters and wars.

Having a large mural of US president Joe Biden in Ballina reflects very badly on the people of Ballina, Mayo and Ireland who hold very different views to Joe regarding the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

We need a woodland in Corca Dhuibhne to help act against climate change and to support biodiversity and our community's wellbeing - a space that will be of benefit to all. The Dingle Peninsula is a place of outstanding natural beauty, we are blessed with a rugged coastline, small sheltered coves, long sandy beaches, rolling hills, majestic mountains, cliffs, wetlands, valleys, lakes and much more, except we have no natural native woodlands. It is the one missing piece in the mosaic of our landscape. To get an immersion in a woodland habitat, residents of the peninsula need to (most likely) drive to Tralee or Castlemaine - our nearest woodlands and a journey of one hour. Our nearest forest, the south side of Killarney National Park, is an hour an a half away. There has been a desire to have a woodland on the western half of the peninsula for many years - this desire coalesced in a working group being formed in Dec 2020 but then the covid lockdown struck and the energy and cohesion dissipated. We are trying to revive the idea again, and the Kerry County Council Climate Action Fund might be an avenue to acquire land and the other necessary resources. We have built up a considerable stock of trees over the years, through seed collection outings, seed processing workshops and nursery care meitheals. Our nursery contains over 3000 native trees, which would be a great start to populate a couple of acres of land. Our vision is to have a native woodland for nature, to support biodiversity, and for the local community. It would be a great asset for the locality, locals and visitors alike, it will enhance our health, wellbeing, community cohesion and offer education possibilities for all ages. Get in touch if you want more information or if you want to be involved [email protected]

Flying has hugely damaging carbon impacts, and to travel overseas from Ireland, the only lower-carbon option is to take a ferry. Travelling by ferry as a foot passenger or cyclist is lower carbon than taking a motorised vehicle on the ferry. However, the ferry companies which provide services from Ireland to overseas prioritise passengers with motorised vehicles, and in many cases refuse services to cyclists and foot passengers. I have heard many stories from friends who can't get a ferry on a particular route or at a particular time simply because they are travelling without a motorised vehicle instead of with one. I experienced this myself recently on the Irish Ferries Pembroke-Rosslare route, when I decided to pay for a motorcycle ticket with the intention of cycling onto the ferry with my bicycle instead of a motor cycle, but was refused entry to the ferry, and forced to take a much longer and more complicated journey home. See: - https://cyclist.ie/2024/02/inexplicable-bikes-not-on-ferries-policy-highlighted/ (article on Irish Cycling Campaign website) - https://bit.ly/3OWaPCG (my video blog folder about this trip) Other cyclists have also documented their experiences as cyclists crossing the sea to and from Ireland, highlighting ferry companies' nonsensical policies on cyclists. https://philsturgeon.com/bikes-on-ferries/ - documents the nonsensical reasons given for refusal to take cyclists (P&O Ferries). I have heard from families who have been forced to pay a higher price for traveling without a car than than they would if they traveled with a car (Brittany Ferries). This petition: - calls on ferry companies operating from Ireland to provide services to cyclists and foot passengers on every ferry service on which they provide services to motorised cars and motorcycles. - calls on the National Transport Authority to make passenger ferry licenses conditional on non-discrimination against cyclists and foot passengers Please sign and share this petition. Thank you, Elaine Baker, cycling campaigner and environmental activist ( @ElaineActivism on twitter and mastodon, member of Irish Cycling Campaign http://cyclist.ie ).

The stated main goals of Ireland's aviation policy are about: 1. Enhancing connectivity for the needs of business, tourism and consumers. 2. Growing aviation enterprise 3. Maximising the contribution of the aviation sector to Ireland’s economic growth and development Goal 3 is incompatible with other areas of government policy, in particular in relation to greenhouse gas emissions. Goal 3 also encourages the aviation sector to behave in ways which are contrary to the well-being of the citizens of Ireland in the future, as well as to other people outside Ireland likely to be impacted by climate change. Given that commercial aviation fuel is tax exempt, this amounts to a subsidy of tens of billions of euros in Europe annually, and this subsidy should be discussed in the formation of Ireland's new aviation policy.

At COP 28, Leo Varadkar spoke on the news about false solutions, like carbon capture and storage. These insufficient solutions are a distraction and so many people around the world know this truth. As young people, we already know that burning fossil fuels is causing climate change and that fossil fuels are responsible for 75% of greenhouse gas emissions. We are the ones that will have to face the climate chaos that we didn’t create. We need to make sure Ireland does not fall into the trap of the fossil fuel industry! Please sign your name and SHARE! Bella, Aya, Zoe, Lucas, Tom, Roisin & Riley! students from North Wicklow Educate Together secondary school

Every 5 seconds in the Amazon, land nearly the size if a football pitch is cut down, just for the use of palm oil! When we reach our 1000 signatures goal, we are going to send this petition onto Nestle, the company that uses the most palm oil in there products in the world

Generations of people have found inspiration in the breaktaking views and enjoyed the scenic walks across the dramatic landscape. People all over Ireland have a deep emotional connection with the iconic Conor Pass and many of us were shocked to discover that it had been in private ownership all this time. Now, you have a chance to do something extraordinary and leave behind a legacy that will enrich and benefit Ireland for generations to come. The Irish government has said that they are interested in buying but would not be able to do so for such a high cost. Despite lots of public support, procurement rules means that the state cannot offer above the market value for a piece of land. The risk is that an international investor will come along, buy the land, and remove public access. The Irish have a very deep and complicated relationship with land and the public loss of such a special area would be devastating. In order to ensure that the Conor Pass can be enjoyed by everybody, for generations to come, we are asking you to enter negotiations with the state to find a way that the ownership of the Conor Pass passes to the Irish public. We are people from all across Ireland, all ages, all walks of life, all religions and none who have come together to make this request of you. Not many people have the opportunity to leave behind such an incredible gift and we are asking you to do everything in your power to make sure that the people of Ireland become the custodians of the Conor Pass. Thank you

If we are going to reverse the consequences of climate change on our planet, we will have to all play our part, town by town, city by city, country by country, starting with our own humble Ballyragget.