Proposals to tackle issues and dangers associated with horses on public roads have all been based on a top down approach, with the most recent seeking to castigate and blame the Traveller community for horse-related issues to do with animal cruelty and accidents on the road. While law enforcement is an essential part of any response in all these cases, real progress can only be based on inclusive consultation and on respect for each other's culture.

Since 2008, Shannon LNG have held planning permission to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in northern Kerry. The terminal was never built, but now the company are looking to get an extension of the planning permission. We are calling on An Bord Pleanála to deny that extension, because LNG is not the right step for Ireland’s future. Liquefied natural gas is fossil gas which has been turned into a liquid so that it may be transported. It is highly flammable and very dangerous to the local environment [i]. The coastal area surrounding the proposed site for the LNG terminal is a Special Protected Area with a large population of waterbirds [ii]. An LNG terminal would be a huge threat to the biodiversity of this beautiful area. The LNG processed at this terminal will most likely be fracked gas imported from other countries, such as the US. Ireland banned fracking because of the devastating impact it holds for both people and wildlife [iii]. We cannot now profit from the exploitation of other communities at the hands of the fracking industry. Importing LNG and increasing our dependence on fossil gas is the wrong direction for Ireland. The planned Shannon LNG terminal would import twice as much gas as we currently use [iv]. If we want to prevent catastrophic global warming, we need to transition away from fossil fuels now. Europe can only afford to burn gas at current levels for 9 more years [v]. If we build LNG terminals with a life span of 30 years or more, it will be very difficult to ensure the necessary transition to renewable energies. We need to take a stand and say no to investment in new forms of fossil fuel infrastructure, and focus on creating a safe and sustainable future for all. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [i] Associated Press in Plymouth, Washington. ‘Five workers hurt after natural gas plant explosion in Washington state’. The Guardian. 1 April 2014. [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/01/five-injured-natural-gas-plant-explosion-washington]. [ii] National Parks and Wildlife Service, [https://www.npws.ie/protected-sites/spa/004077] . [iii] The Irish Times, ‘Ireland joins France, Germany and Bulgaria in banning fracking’ [https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/oireachtas/ireland-joins-france-germany-and-bulgaria-in-banning-fracking-1.3137095]. [iv] European Commission. Projects of Common Interest. PCI 5.3 – Shannon LNG Terminal and connecting pipeline. [http://www.lngworldshipping.com/news/view,northwest-europe-ponders-new-deepsea-lngimport-capacity_47036.htm https://ec.europa.eu/energy/sites/ener/files/documents/pci_5_3_en_2015.pdf] [v] Kevin Anderson and John Broderick, Natural Gas and Climate Change (2017).

OUR COMMUNITIES ARE DROWNING IN WASTE and not enough is being done to manage the situation. During a recent litter pick with local residents we came across the illegal dumping in the picture above, beside 3 schools in Knocknacarra. Dangerous waste like broken glass and discarded condoms are in the spaces where our kids walk to school every day, posing a real threat to their safety. This is shocking and something needs to be done FAST. We know that enforcement is successful. In Wicklow the Pure Project has seen a 45% reduction in fly-tipping by using covert CCTV. This is because people are less likely to dump if they think they will be caught. This in turn will SAVE THE COUNCIL MONEY on its large waste bill. We call on the Council to implement the following: - CCTV and prosecuting offenders MUST be prioritised - In 2015 there was just 1 prosecution under the Litter Pollutants Act 1997 for illegal dumping with a fine of €400 in Galway. Prosecutions are what stop others from engaging in the offence. - RATS -There are serious safety issues, with residents in areas such as Droim Chaoin reporting rats, because those from outside of the estate are driving in and dumping bags of rubbish. I have seen burst black sacks of food waste left at the side of the road. More regular clean-ups and signage are needed in these areas. - PLAYGROUNDS - Bushes around playgrounds do not seem to be cleaned by the Council, which means dangerous items are left around our children, such as the glass and razors that we found around the Millennium playground in January. The whole area must be cleaned each time. - Local clean-ups tend to happen on a Sunday, with bags being left until Wednesday for the Council to collect them. This should be happening on a Monday to reduce waste spreading around the neighbourhoods. - BINS - We also need more bins through-out the City and County - GLAN SUAS programme. For some time now the next clean-up on the Galway City Council website is reported as 'To Be Announced'. This was a collaboration between community groups and the Council. The Council should re-engage with this programme. So please sign this petition and send a message to the local Galway City and County Councils that we demand CCTV, prosecutions of fly tippers, regular clean-ups, collection from community clean-ups on Mondays, more signage and support from the City and County Councils. Pauline O'Reilly, Green Party, Galway West

The Office for Public Works (OPW), a government agency, is proposing to build the new Garda Operations Center over the route of the greenway in Kilmainham. The greenway will be a pedestrian and cycle only route from the gates of the Irish Muesem of Modern Art (IMMA) at Royal Kilmainham Hospital along the river Camac to Heuston station. The OPW does not have planning permission yet. They don't have to build over the greenway route. They are only using 29% of their proposed site for the new building. They can move the building off of the greenway route protecting it for local residents and visitors to our city. This greenway will provide a safe and friendly environment for locals and visitors to move freely in this part of the city. It will connect key cultural and tourist destinations in our city such as Kilmainham Gaol, the Irish Museum of Modern art to the rest of the city. It should not be built over. "I avoid cycling in the area. It's too unsafe. My only option is the busy N4 dual carriageway alongside Heuston station. This greenway will give me a safe alternative to cycle to work" -- Kevin, local resident "This greenway will give me a safe and quick option to walk from my train at Heuston to my patients. I currently walk alongside the Luas tracks and it just doesn't feel safe" -- Sarah, nurse at St. James' Hospital Sign this petition to show your support. There is more you can do. Follow these steps to show more support: https://www.rivercamacgreenway.com/support

We want the people's voice to be heard respecting water and sanitation services in Ireland, and a referendum be held. Across the globe ordinary people have undergone tremendous hardship and suffering when water services are privatised. Water is a human right and must never be under the control of 'for profit' companies. Publicly owned, funded and managed water and sanitation services, free at the point of use, is the only way to guarantee access for all.

The new Metro-North Project is a vital piece of infrastructure connecting the growing town of Swords, with Dublin Airport, Dublin City University and Dublin City Centre. The existing roads and bus infrastructure is at breaking point and the need for a high speed and environmentally friendly rail solution for Swords and the M1 corridor is long overdue. With the Government due to announce a €100 billion Capital Plan in the next couple of weeks, it is vital Metro-North is included as a priority piece of infrastructure to be progressed. The National Transport Authority and Transport Infrastructure Ireland commenced preparatory work on the planning and design of the project over the past two years and a dedicated Steering Group was set up by the previous Government to push Metro North forward. We are now at a crucial point and we want to see the detailed planning process get underway in the first half of this year if construction is to begin by 2021. For that to happen Minister Donohoe needs to give the go-ahead now! Let the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure know that this is a long overdue priority for the people of Swords...Let's have our voices heard!

Galway, with a population of 80,000 people, is a beautiful, thriving, bilingual city in the west of Ireland, situated on the Corrib, and the gateway to the biggest Gaeltacht in Ireland. The people of Galway however face the daily challenge of serious traffic congestion which impacts enormously on their quality of life. In addition, Galway is projected to increase its population to 124,000 people by 2040 so urgent action must be taken to improve the public transport system in the city. We also face a real challenge in fulfilling our commitments under climate mitigation legislation which oblige us to take both immediate and long terms steps to reduce our emissions. A light rail system, as part of an integrated public transport system, will go a long way towards achieving these objectives. It will also provide positive opportunities for sustainable urban renewal. We believe that the provision of a light rail service in Galway has to be an integral and essential part of the solution. Building on the dedicated work of the Gluas team, the matter was raised in the Dáil in November, 2017 with the Minister for Transport with a view to providing a light rail service in Galway. The Minister’s response is interesting and is worth a look: https://goo.gl/paGKDT He issued a challenge to the people of Galway to show that there is a demand for light rail, and if we can show that demand, he is willing to discuss and review the situation. That challenge has led to this petition campaign which started on the streets of Galway on the 13th of January 2018 and which will continue for 8 weeks, with the specific aim of collecting 30,000 signatures. If you haven’t signed the petition already on the streets of Galway, please show your support by signing now. Now is the time to act.

To ensure a safer, cleaner living environment for our current and future generations we want a complete ban of glyphosate weedkiller. We are extremely concerned that our Agricultural sector/farmers are bombarded with misinformation and pressure from government bodies that are directly lobbied by toxic chemical companies. We are also calling on the county council to use alternative organic based methods for all weed control. We are aware of the seriousness of the invasive species 'Japanese Knotweed', but studies have concluded that the long term use of glyphosate weedkillers does not actually kill Japanese knotweed. By using organic means to kill this highly invasive species it is proven to be eradicated in the exactly the same time frame. With the projected construction of Irelands first Soil Recovery centre in the Midlands, it has been stipulated that it won't accept any plant or soil material that's contaminated with any chemicals. It makes no sense to use contractors who have no regard for anything but chemical control, which also includes chemicals such as Garlon Ultra and Speed lite Pro which do not have a base glyphosate ingredient. These weedkillers have two other active ingredients (1.) Amino Pyralide (2.) Triclopyr. These active ingredients are incredibly toxic and will leach into the soil and groundwater. They, like RoundUp, do not ever break down and our filtration systems are unable to remove these deadly chemical time bombs. These chemical-based weedkillers are highly carcinogenic and linked to a variety of potentially fatal diseases. Monsanto's Roundup weedkiller, Pathclear, Gallup, Pistol, Weedol and Mossgo are to name but a few of the weedkillers currently on the market that contain the cancer-causing chemical glyphosate which is lethal to all living organisms. Ireland has the second highest level of glyphosate in our surface water in the EU and the third highest death rate of cancer in Europe. 1. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/farmers-weapons-of-mass-destruction-carry-cancer-fears-1.3148492 2. http://greennews.ie/why-is-ireland-diluting-legislation-on-banning-hormone-changing-chemicals/ 3. https://www.euractiv.com/section/agriculture-food/news/france-tables-eu-wide-non-agricultural-pesticide-ban/

These chemicals have been found to be probably carcinogenic, have devastating effects on our wildlife and a mass of yellowing dead plants is unsightly.

St Anne’s Park is a valuable public space given in trust to Dublin City Council by the Guinness family, for citizens of all ages, abilities and social groups. It is also part of the environmental buffer zone for Bull Island, a UNESCO protected environment. Right now Crevak Developers are trying to by-pass proper planning procedures and steal a public space for private gain. An application for this development was previously turned down and people are already objecting for any reason [1] The more of us that raise our voices in objection, the better our chances will be to save St Anne’s! NOTES: [1] http://ilovestannes.ie/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Suggested-grounds-for-objection.docx

In December 2017, with the lead up to Christmas, Tony Lowth and the Gardeners arrived one day to find that the Garden gate had been arbitrarily chained up to prevent us access to a space that we diligently maintain. This act was done with zero forewarning, communication, and ultimately any level of human respect or considerations toward the Caretakers of the Garden. This lack of communication, empathy, and essentially acts of adult bullying, hit Tony particularly hard over Christmas - where he became ill with Shingles from the stress of the situation. The slogan of our Community Garden is "Grow Me" to highlight the concept of "no-dig organic gardening" and "growing" positive social economy - by specifically focusing on soil and compost production, by using local waste around Dublin to "grow" new soil. We source our "soil food" through local businesses which helps them to reduce unnecessary bulk waste; minimizing city rubbish collection output. For instance, we collect coffee grinds from local businesses, leaves and grass cuttings from parks and streets, wood chip and other material from local stables, etc. The Garden essentially acts as a hub for this "waste" by transforming it into incredibly fertile soil - which needs to be maintained daily through physical labour to optimize its effectiveness. Tony Lowth, the founder of the Garden space, has been a pillar to the community by transforming a once neglected space FULL with cans and rubbish, into an amazing plot of green. This space is now home to an array of organic vegetables, herbs, flowers, trees, wildlife, and to the people that pass through. Speaking as a Volunteer Gardener, this space has offered me an opportunity to learn planting and composting wisdom directly from Tony which has been invaluable to me. I have further benefited from being in nature which has been extremely beneficial to my well-being and mental health. And the Garden has allowed me to feel a connection to a community which has inspired me on so many other levels. Going to the garden twice a week was the best part of my week. The purpose and benefit of a Community style Garden, is that it weaves all walks of life together to express, inspire, grow, learn, and connect in an open space. These are all concepts that a school - or any form of creative institution, should be promoting at grassroots level, not ostracizing with a lock.

This is important because money could be better spent in redevelopment in other areas of the city. The park is one of the few left in the city that has been left untouched for years. The park provides many community events throughout the year and brings people together for all types of occasions. This site was privately sold but still comes under the umbrella of the park so if this development goes ahead it opens the flood gates for endless destruction to the park through building. Where does it end?