Eirgrid, who operate the Irish Electricity Grid, plans to link the electricity grids in the Republic and North of Ireland by a 400kv overhead power line called the North South Interconnector. This plan would involve the erection of 409 steel pylons ranging in height from 26m to 51m through rural Meath Cavan and Monaghan and Tyrone in close proximity to many homes. This proposal has been rejected vehemently by the residents of these counties on the basis of (a) Health risks associated with living in close proximity to power lines, in particular an association with childhood leukemia, (b) Impact on Heritage, Community life, farming and wildlife (c) Visual impact (d) Noise (e) Impact on property values. From the outset the affected communities, through their representative group NEPP (North East Pylon Pressure) have advocated for the project to proceed using underground cabling to connect the power grids. Eirgrid rejected this proposal stating initially that it wasn't feasible and would cost from 10 to 25 times the overhead option. Eirgrid have since had to concede that undergrounding is indeed feasible and that their costings were grossly wide of the mark. Undergrounding is not in fact more expensive when all costs are taken into account. Indeed Eirgrid have recently selected UNDERGROUND CABLING as the best option for the Kildare-Meath Grid link upgrade. Eirgrid state ..."during the consultation period, new information was received in the form of advice from the Asset Owner cable specialists suggesting that UGC can be constructed in a more efficient manner than was previously assumed.." It can be laid along the road side in a trench 2m by 2m. Had Eirgrid used the same criteria in the Public Consultation process for NSI there is no doubt the NSI would be undergrounded. It is worth noting that Eirgrid are planning to underground the Celtic Interconnector and have dropped plans for the Grid west Overhead line. Why scar the landscape and negatively impact our rural communities for generations to come when there is a viable alternative. Help us to preserve the beauty of our landscape and protect the Health and well-being of our communities. Undergrounding this project is feasible and affordable. We call on Govt to direct Eirgrid accordingly.

Basking sharks are endangered in the Northeast Atlantic and global population estimates indicate that the west and northern Irish seaboard are part of the single most internationally important coastal region for this species. Basking sharks occupy inshore and offshore areas year-round in Irish territorial waters. Ireland and our coastal communities have historically benefited from basking shark fisheries and today we have a duty to provide protection for this highly mobile species when they occupy Irish territorial waters. Recent research indicated that the Irish public supports the protection of basking sharks in Irish waters (Gray, 2019). Adding the species to Schedule Five of the Wildlife Act, (1976) as amended, is the simplest method to provide protection for the species in Irish territorial waters.

We are in a climate emergency and Ireland has the highest transport emissions per capita in the EU. This project to increase capacity for more motorists on the M11 was dreamed up in 2018 as part of the last government's road expansion programme. It is a proposal that denies the seriousness of the climate crisis. This project has not entered the design phase yet so there is still time to cancel it and divert the remaining funds into solutions that will actually work to decrease congestion, decrease Ireland's transport emissions and decrease all of the other effects of releasing tens of thousands more cars onto the roads of the greater Dublin area every day. Email the Minister for Transport and Climate Action to let him know that you think this is disastrous for our climate ambitions: [email protected] If you live in Wicklow, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown or Wexford, contact your local TDs and councillors to let them know that this money would be better spent on public transport which would provide lasting improvements for commuting and for quality of life: https://www.whoismytd.com Further reading: "New road capacity attracts new drivers. In the short term, people who had previously been discouraged from using congested roads start to use them." https://theconversation.com/climate-explained-does-building-and-expanding-motorways-really-reduce-congestion-and-emissions-147024 "for every 1 percent increase in highway capacity, traffic increases 0.29 to 1.1 percent in the long term (about five years out), and up to 0.68 percent in the short term (one or two years)." https://usa.streetsblog.org/2017/06/21/the-science-is-clear-more-highways-equals-more-traffic-why-are-dots-still-ignoring-it/ "But even after spending €1 billion on these works, the M50 will remain as congested as ever, as the National Roads Authority (NRA) has conceded." (2006) https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/building-new-roads-won-t-solve-m50-traffic-problem-1.1014217

This is a growing Community Market which offers so much more than locally made goods and produce, it offers a meeting place for people in a safe outdoor setting. It is a great addition to the town of Tramore and is well supported by residents. The Council need to be realistic in the number of stalls needed here AND listen to the voices of the community,both market stall owners and those in the town who support the market.

We're in a biodiversity crisis, and it's vital that we stop spraying chemicals that kill our bees and other pollinators. You have the power to influence customers to make better decisions and have beautiful gardens where biodiversity can thrive.

The Grotto is a much loved community site that the public has continually accessed for over 70 years. It is a spiritual sanctuary for residents and visitors alike, a much used green area, a respite area for shoppers. The Grotto is essential to the wellbeing and mental health of the community. It is in constant use by people of all ages and all creeds from all social classes. The Grotto should be protected due to its importance to the cultural heritage and history of the Liberties. It was built by Canon Francis Gleeson, parish priest of Meath Street from 1944, with the help of the local community. It was built as a monument to those who died in The Great Wars. We believe that the proposed extension of the already permitted development will seriously risk the existence of this important local monument which is an integral part of the culture, heritage and tradition of the area. There is already an oversaturation of hotels in The Liberties. Please protect our Grotto.

For Ballyhaunis and its community to progress we need our local Bank of Ireland branch operational; to be an open and fully functioning Bank. The Ballyhaunis Community have built and maintained this Bank over the last Century and are dependent on it for its future growth which is crucial to the economic future of the region. We now call on the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe to now use his influence to have this decision reversed. We need your help please sign our petition, spread the word on social media and anywhere we can get support. How it will be delivered The petition will be delivered directly to the Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe TD and by post to the CEO and Board of Bank of Ireland.

Every year thousands of Wild Atlantic Salmon are netted and killed in Castlemaine Harbour by Legal State Regulated nets. With Atlantic Salmon at critical levels and to legally license nets to kill our Native Salmon is beyond unacceptable. Castlemaine Harbour is an SAC which means Atlantic Salmon are a qualifying interest. Nets operate all over the Harbour, some are licensed to operate in Cromane, others in the mouths of very important rivers like the Laune and the Maine. The Behy river, Caragh River and the Emalgh river are all affected by nets operating in Cromane. Inland Fisheries Ireland, the state body in charge of protecting our Salmon in Ireland, authorise a mixed stock fishery in Castlemaine Harbour. In 2019 the number of salmon netted in the river Laune was 1,539 and in Cromane it was 549. There is reason to believe that many more Salmon are caught illegally also by not being tagged when caught in nets. Inland Fisheries Ireland admit that Salmon numbers are decreasing every year so why allow these nets to continue killing Salmon year in and year out. We put alot of pressure on this issue last year and it will be the same this year. Its an environmental disaster and our government is at fault. They are the ones leasing the nets so they can continue to destroy our beautiful rivers. This practice is not only continued in Castlemaine Harbour but continues all over Ireland. We want to concentrate first on Castlemaine because we believe that the Maine river is under serious stress and the figures collected by the Inland Fisheries Ireland are falsified to keep the fishery open. I wont be going nowhere, netting starts in May and we start now, get sharing and signing. Tight lines. Daniel

Provides a safe route to schools. Provides a shorter, more convenient route to Bray Seafront Joins up green amenities

What if we made Greystones & Delgany greener, healthier and wilder? What if we were the first region in Ireland to create biosecurity by 2026? We can all be part of a legacy we can be proud of: handing over to our children and future generations an area that is climate-resilient and supports our wildlife to live alongside us. Please support this petition and we will bring it to the Government and Wicklow County Council to transform Greystones & Delgany (and North Wicklow). Greystones & Delgany are currently undergoing a frenzy of development, with new housing estates approved and planted in every available field left. Not only is the infrastructure (roads, public transport links, schools, healthcare, etc.) not keeping up, but nature is taking a huge hit. So what if the answer to overdevelopment was to create a Community Nature Reserve – a gift to current and future generations? Following 2 years of research by Eoin Llewellyn here are key realistic projects that can be implemented to rehabilitate nature. • Expand the Glen of the Downs on both sides of the Three-Trout stream with permanent native forest. • Return Kindlestown Forest to permanent native woodland (under the Government's new Project Woodland and/or Coillte's Millenium Forests programme) as each Sitka spruce plot is harvested, and link it to the Glen of the Downs SAC (Special Area of Conservation). • Relist and protect the Bronze Age hillforts of Coolagad (Kindlestown) and Downshill, ahead of the millennial anniversary of the Battle of Delgany 1022. (see Yasmin Fortune's research on www.glenodownsheritage.com) • Create 20-meter wide riparian ways and a nature reserve along the full course of the Three-Trout Stream, with green link path for people to walk and/or cycle to school and work. (see Eoin Llewellyn's research https://www.mywildireland.ie/projects/ • Add chestnut fencing and a raised boardwalk on South Beach to protect coastal flora and dune grasses from collapse, plus nature signage indicating plants and insects present. • Create a coastal nature reserve on 2 fields east of the railway line above the North Beach, thus extending Bray Head SAC (Special Area of Conservation) into Greystones. If this Nature Reserve was to see the light of day, Greystones & Delgany would become the first biosecure area in Ireland by 2026! At a time when successive lockdowns have highlighted the dire need for green spaces near urban centers, Greystones & Delgany could become a flagship example of a town living in harmony with nature, and a template to be replicated across the county and country. As the next County Development Plan is being drafted, let's change the story of Greystones & Delgany - from a town besieged by suburban sprawl, to a place where a greener, healthier and wilder future is possible. See - https://www.mywildireland.ie/projects/

Annacotty weir is located in the lower reaches of the River Mulkear, Co Limerick. This is part of the Lower River Shannon Special Area of Conservation (SAC). This is a relatively minor weir - but it causes a major fish passage problem. The weir has no purpose. It is an ornamental weir that was installed as part of an Office of Public Works (OPW) flood scheme. The main species affected are River Lampreys and Sea Lampreys which are both Qualifying Interests of this Natura 2000 river. But it’s not just lampreys that are affected – the upstream migration of Atlantic Salmon is also delayed by this weir, and under certain medium flows salmon have great difficulty passing this obstacle. Some salmon never get past, and all are stressed and waste valuable energy trying to scale this difficult barrier. Furthermore this weir blocks the migration of the critically endangered European eel. I want the OPW, Inland Fisheries Ireland, and Limerick City and County Council to engage with both myself and other interested and committed people who want to remove this fish migration barrier. The problems at this site have been highlighted for many years yet nothing effective has been done. Measures taken by the Mulkear LIFE project at this site did not work. There is widespread support for effective action to be taken to finally address the fish passage issues at Annacotty weir. It is now time for the above government agencies to do what they regularly claim to do - which is to engage with volunteers like myself working on local environmental projects to bring waterbodies back to ‘Good Status’, and Annex II species in Natura 2000 rivers back to Favorable Conservation Status’. I also again commit to work on a pro bono basis to input into the design of a solution for this site, and prepare the required ecological assessments to support the necessary planning application and Appropriate Assessment. If we can’t address the fish passage issues at this relatively minor weir then how will be ever able to address the major issues on the main River Shannon caused by the ESB dams. Having lampreys confined to the lower reaches of this major catchment makes them vulnerable to impacts such as declining water quality. Lampreys are also blocked on the main River Shannon by the ESB dams so are very confined in this catchment. Salmon are also affected by this weir and are at unfavorable status in this catchment. We have to all we can to help the critically endangered Eel. Annacotty weir needs to be removed - or lowered with a rock ramp fish pass installed. This would restore fish migration in this large tributary of the Lower River Shannon. This action is required under both the EU Habitats and Water Framework Directives.

In early 2020 Monaghan County Council passed a motion to address the use of pesticides and to allow low/no mow in some areas for the protection of pollinators and other biodiversity. When we then went into lockdown, council services were put on hold and there was a lot of spring growth that wasn't being managed in any way, which led to complaints from the public about messiness and overgrowth. As a result, the motion was reversed. The timing was unfortunate, as areas can be managed for beneficial wildness without becoming too messy and they can be very beautiful too! OUR ASK We are asking for Monaghan County Council to set an example and put some proper guidelines and policies in place before we do too much damage to our outer and inner ecosystems. DAMAGING OUR ENVIRONMENT – OUTER ECOSYSTEM The use of pesticides and herbicides is causing huge losses in our local biodiversity. Reduced biodiversity means humans will face a future where (1) our food supply will be more prone to failure (because no pollinators) and more vulnerable to pests and diseases (because we have messed with the natural food chains in delicately balanced ecosystems), and (2) where our water supply has been compromised. There have been a number of articles published recently about exceedances of pesticides in national and local water supplies and there is an appeal to the public to consider alternatives for gardening, farming and maintenance of sports grounds. DAMAGING OUR BODIES – INNER ECOSYSTEM Human exposure starts in the womb when pregnant women share their body’s chemical accumulation across the placenta, where it becomes part of a developing baby’s first environment. This exposure continues throughout childhood when the fast-growing bodies of children take in more food, water and air than adults. A child’s biological systems are developing rapidly and can be disrupted by micro-doses of toxins during this period. The levels of pesticides and other chemicals in adults reflects each person’s unique accumulation and storage of chemicals over their lifetime. Just as children are particularly susceptible to chemical harm in the first years of life, our final decades also represent a window of increased vulnerability. The history of exposure that comes with age means our body's chemical burden may be at its peak just as our biological systems gradually begin to weaken and slow. **We can do something about this – we can stop using pesticides and herbicides** [Photograph of County Monaghan wildflowers by Fearghal Duffy, for more beautiful photos of local biodiversity follow him on Twitter at @FearghaRua]