A still unknown decision has led to the MLU in Cavan being effectively closed in all but name under the guise of a merger with the consultant-led unit. This may be the third time Cavan MLU has faced closure and the pregnant people in the area have faced limitation of their care choices. The effective closure of the Midwifery-Led Unit on Monday 1st of June 2020 and the manner in which this decision has been taken, with no public consultation or formal announcement from either Cavan General Hospital or the RSCI group, who we understand are leading of this decision, shows a clear lack of understanding to the needs of those in the surrounding area. The claim that it is not a downgrading of service provision is simply false. For all who have accessed the MLU, either as a service user, healthcare professional or student, this closure will have significant impact on practice and care provision. To our knowledge, no rationale has been given to explain the decision. National and international evidence supports the expansion of midwifery led services. Closure of the unit limits choices for pregnancy care in direct opposition of this evidence. We cannot emphasise strongly enough 1. The retrograde nature of this decision which flies in the face of all the international evidence on best birth practices 2. And which spells the death knell of the 2016 Maternity Strategy which was specifically committed to the expansion of MLUs, not their closure Our model of maternity care relies on the majority of women going through a system of GP referral to an obstetric unit or maternity hospital. Despite the National Maternity Strategy, the dominant model of care across all our 19 maternity units is a consultant-led model of care. We have only the two midwifery-led units in Ireland (Cavan and Drogheda) and midwifery clinics across the maternity system are far too few. -- In international terms, our model of maternity care does not offer women choice of models of maternity care, something the National Maternity Strategy acknowledges clearly. Indeed, the Irish model of maternity care is at odds with best international evidence on the effectiveness of models of maternity care - The 2016 National Maternity Strategy, called for many more MLUs to be built. Instead this has not only been completely stalled - its implementation committee has met only four times up to 2019 (PQ 14615-19; PQ 14616) and the budget of the strategy has been slashed - The HIQA maternity report (February 2020) highlighted the lack of progress in supported care pathways under the National Maternity Strategy The 2003 Hanly Report on medical staffing with its overall aim of increasing still further centralisation of all hospital services continues to cast a shadow over the relevance of the small Cavan MLU – which has never had the full support of senior clinical and management staff in Cavan. If it had, it would be used to capacity and would not now be ‘merged’ with the consultant-led services. Who is affected? *this is not an exhaustive list of affected groups* Pregnant people are entitled to choice in care provision. There is no evidence at present to show that this has been supported or considered in the move to close the Cavan MLU. We hope to hear from service users to determine what plans are in place for those currently booked in the unit, those who were potentially being transferred back to the service following obstetric assessment, and those who had previously or planned to access midwifery led care in Cavan. Supporting practitioners in the Cavan/Monaghan area to continue the provision of Midwifery Led Care is vital. Evidence of support and solutions offered thus far to the midwives within the unit is needed so that as a national community of professionals and experts in normal pregnancy care can come together to save Cavan MLU. Midwives are the experts in providing pregnancy care and a wealth of evidence supports this model, referred to as “supported care” in the Maternity Strategy. Student midwives who began their training from 2018 in Dundalk Institute of Technology must complete Midwifery Led Unit placement experience as a core area, a change from its specialist area status before 2018. This reflects the importance of midwifery led care experience in well rounded learning. If Cavan MLU were to close, students would be limited to the Drogheda MLU to achieve the hours in order to qualify and register as midwives. It is already difficult for these MLU hours to be achieved between two units with the number of students requiring the necessary time in midwifery led services. The limitations that this closure will place on students has immediate and long-term consequences. Students in the 2019 cohort were due to attend Cavan MLU for placement in March/April and must make up this time due to COVID19. These students are now in limbo regarding completing these hours and gaining critical core learning experience. USEFUL LINKS; National Maternity Strategy 2016-2026 >> https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/0ac5a8-national-maternity-strategy-creating-a-better-future-together-2016-2/ HIQA Maternity Services report February 2020 >> https://www.hiqa.ie/sites/default/files/2020-02/Maternity-Overview-Report.pdf HSE / TCD 2009 MidU study >> https://nursing-midwifery.tcd.ie/assets/publications/pdf/midu-report.pdf Association for Improvements in the Maternity Service Ireland - Midwifery Led Care information >> http://aimsireland.ie/midwife-led-care/#:~:text=Midwife%2Dled%20services%20for%20eligible,further%20attention%20 AIMSI “What Matters to You” Survey 2014/2015 >> http://aimsireland.ie/care-choices/ Bump2Babe – Cavan General Hospital survey answers CLU >> http://www.bump2babe.ie/all-answers/unit/0/ MLU >> http://www.bump2babe.ie/all-answers/unit/1/

WHAT IS PLANNING FOR ALL #planningforall #planningwhatplanning #planningjustice THE SHORT VERSION A brand new planning system designed by the ordinary citizens and most excluded first for the ordinary citizens and most excluded first. The LONG VERSION The planning system governs most aspects of our lives and dictates how our land, natural resources and built-in environment are disposed of. Therefore every Irish resident should be able to take part in it. However, the reality is that only a few of us are able to do so: most of the time, taking part in planning requires financial resources, free time, specific skills, expertises, qualifications and finally established relationships with local authorities and elected representatives. In short, deciding about our land, natural resources and built-in environment is the privilege of a very few privileged among us. Each and every day, all across Ireland, communities try to contest undemocratic planning decisions; however, they are not always successful. Sometimes, they put all their financial resources and energy in bringing a case to court. They may be able to succeed once, but the next day another planning submission is made and all their energy and financial resources are gone. It is obvious to us that cases cannot be solely fought on an individual basis; a more profound systemic change is also needed. By signing the present petition, you support our demand for the implementation of a radically new planning system: we believe that everyone should decide about what the new system should be like, especially those who have long been excluded from local and national decision-making. We ask the government to organise a period of genuine consultation to define a new, inclusive, democratic planning system that would be equitably accessible by all. A planning system by the ordinary citizens for the ordinary citizens. Finally, by signing the present petition, you support our demand that, whatever form the new planning system may take, it should be: free at all stages, inclusive of all forms of knowledge including local expertise, equitably accessible by all no matter your race/ethnicity/nationality, gender/sex, age, (dis)abilities, income, professional/family situation and living conditions and finally fully integrated at local, city, county, national level so as to avoid sacrificed communities/dumping zones. Please fill in our quick survey about your own planning experience by clicking on the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeUFyrrHqErgahWH4k82mOhVGQnuMiyIDpcZywFQyjtqOgZeg/viewform?usp=pp_url

During this pandemic, many of our green areas have been allowed to grow wild, with no council mowing ongoing. Which is great! Green areas have been allowed to flourish with flowers growing through them. Widespread population declines of bees and other pollinators from habitat loss are a growing concern. However, spontaneous flowers like dandelions and clover can provide pollen and nectar sources throughout the growing season....... Therefore, please don't mow, don't spray, let them grow!

Democracy needs to come from the ground up we need for all the people see demoracy in action. Each indidvual needs to be able to voice their concern or idea as long as it is not harmful or discriminatory to anyone else in or outside the EU. Then this collective voice needs to be brought to Europe and listened to

Everyone no matter what their circumstance or chance of birth deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential. Education is a powerful tool against poverty and inequality for both the individual who can access it and the generations after them. The current Covid19 pandemic poses an unique opportunity to change the entry process to 3rd level education in Ireland and let everyone who wants to be in education in. This petition is inspired by RTE broadcaster Joe Duffy using his platform to promote the importance of equal access to education throughout his life such as his campaign 'Let Them In' 40 years ago. If not now then when? LET THEM IN

The taxi regulator is not interested in the safety of drivers.It will be drivers who will implement safety screens in their cars.Even though we were allowed work during this epidemic,PPE had to be sourced by drivers

Limerick Cycling Campaign, the Limerick Cycle Bus and the Irish Pedestrian Network are launching the #WeNeedSpace campaign calling on Limerick Council to provide safe, usable space across the city for people to shop, exercise and commute by walking and cycling during the current crisis. Research published by Sports Ireland on the 30th April shows an additional 500,000 regular walkers, 450,000 runners and 220,000 cyclists. These numbers show a huge increase in people using public space to move around and exercise. This positive cultural change in how we use our streets should be further encouraged by making more space for people to get out and stay healthy during these difficult times. It’s very difficult for young families in the city to get fresh air and exercise while trips to parks and beaches are off-limits. We need to facilitate safe segregated cycle routes in the city to encourage family and more cautious cyclists to come out and get some exercise. A circular segregated cycle would open up the city to young people to get their exercise in a safe way. These temporary actions in response to the current emergency, would be strategic in creating a positive cultural change to make our towns and cities more liveable and contributing to a much needed boost in footfall required to aid the economic recovery when we move beyond the current crisis. Please support this campaign by signing and sharing on social media using the hashtag #WeNeedSpace and read our letter to the Council on the Limerick Cycling website.

Summary:- We urgently need to move to virtual courts to provide people with access to justice during the current pandemic. Affidavits are an essential part of the court process but cannot be completed without physical attendance before a commissioner for oaths to swear an oath on a sacred text if the person making the affidavit has religious faith. A move to a completely secular Statement of Truth was recommended by the Law Reform Commission as far back 1990 and can be enacted immediately. It is now urgently required to enable people to have access to justice remotely without being put at risk by unnecessary physical meetings. It will also bring in a long overdue modernisation of our legal system and will reduce costs for those dealing with the legal system. More Detail:- We have all restricted our activities as directed by the Government to do what we can to slow the spread of the Covid-19 Corona Virus. While legal services have been designated as essential services, legal practitioners have also restricted activities to those that are essential and that can be delivered safely. This involves most people working from home and remotely in other ways. Our courts have effectively closed other than for urgent matters and the Courts Service is to be commended in that it is seeking to facilitate a move to remote hearings as swiftly as possible. However, meanwhile, citizens awaiting remedies from the courts are entitled to access to justice in a timely fashion. Social distancing is likely to remain with us for some time and it is difficult to see the operation of our courts returning to normal while these requirements remain a necessity. Therefore, we need an alternative as a matter of urgency. In the context of a move to the remote hearings of court proceedings, it is important to understand that almost all legal business required to be done to progress legal proceedings can be done remotely, with one very significant exception. Affidavits cannot be completed remotely. They must be sworn in the physical presence of either a commissioner for oaths or a practising solicitor. These documents are an essential requirement for all court proceedings and for many non-contentious court-sanctioned processes such as the functions of the Probate Office and the Wards of Court Office. A High Court ruling on affidavits has confirmed that, as the law currently stands, if a person has religious faith, they must swear an affidavit placing their hand on the sacred text of that faith. This places the commissioner for oaths (or practising solicitor) taking the oath in the entirely unsatisfactory position where he or she must enquire if the person making the affidavit is a person of religious faith and, if so, the commissioner must then produce the appropriate sacred text of that faith for the oath to be administered in accordance with the requirements of that faith. This is a completely anachronistic practice that has no place in our modern society. The State, the courts, and the legal profession have no business enquiring as to the faith or otherwise of a person in the context of legal proceedings, unless for some reason the question of faith forms part of the subject matter of the proceedings. A person seeking to complete an affidavit should not be subject to the intrusion, indignity and potential embarrassment of having to explain their religious beliefs or otherwise to a stranger in the context of exercising their rights in a democratic republic. The case for this change was made in a report of the Law Reform Commission from 1990 which offers a very simple and succinct change to the position. The legislation required to give effect to this change has been advanced to heads of bill stage since 2017 and can quickly and easily be brought forward for enactment. It will be clear to anyone that this is a change that should have long since been made even in the absence of the current need for social distancing. But it must also be remembered that an affidavit can only be sworn in the physical presence of a person acting as commissioner for oaths who is independent of the solicitor acting on behalf of the person swearing the affidavit. Therefore, affidavits cannot be sworn without a physical meeting of two or three people, and perhaps more depending on the circumstances. There are no circumstances in which an affidavit can be completed remotely and, therefore, a system of remote court hearings cannot presently proceed without the affidavits that the litigation process depends upon being sworn physically. This need for otherwise unnecessary physical meetings is dangerous in the context of the current pandemic. Many litigants in court proceedings are vulnerable people who find themselves with no choice but to seek redress from the courts. Furthermore, the requirements for affidavits in probate matters and in the context of the creation and registration of enduring powers of attorney exposes many elderly people to the possibility of meetings with strangers that are entirely unnecessary and should be capable of being done remotely. While many of the measures required to combat the current pandemic will involve significant cost, this is a change that will be almost completely cost-free to implement. Furthermore, it will result in significant cost saving for consumers who will no longer have to pay the additional third-party commissioner’s fees that are currently associated with almost all legal transactions. Having regard to all of the foregoing, this long overdue and necessary change is now urgent. Please sign the petition now to show your support for this change. Please also spread the word with your friends, family, and colleagues and on social media to help make this important and urgently needed change happen.

It's not important. There are far more important things going on in the World. We know that. However, this is something that Irish football fans might feel strongly about. The current crest used by the FAI is awful. If you ask any Irish football fan they will tell you. We would like the FAI to consider changing the current crest and go back to a design similar to those used at Italia '90 or USA '94. The current crest is just a template crest which is also used by Israel and a number of football clubs. There is nothing unique about it. The older crests give fans a sense of history and pride. Next year will be the FAI's centenary year and a perfect opportunity to change the crest. So, we ask the FAI to please change the crest to something similar to the ones used in the early to mid nineties. Please follow our facebook page too >>> https://www.facebook.com/Change-the-Crest-115497503470609

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.

This Bill provides the Irish government with an opportunity to uphold international law and ban the import of goods and services from any illegal settlements. This would establish a framework to hold offending governments accountable for human rights violations, which is currently not the case. It is imperative that this legislation is passed, to promote trade justice for any marginalised people suffering the oppressive impacts of illegal settlements.

Randox received £23 million in public funds through Invest NI in 2018, and benefited from a research partnership with our two universities QUB and UU. Now they are selling at an extortionate price (£120 per test) at a time when people are worried about food and job security and how they'll keep a roof over their heads. Meanwhile our NHS is struggling as they don't have enough tests so that key healthcare professionals can continue to do their vital work on the frontline of the fight against this global pandemic. Demand that Randox releases the Covid-19 tests free of charge to the NHS and stops profiteering from this crisis. See: https://www.randoxhealth.com/product/coronavirus-covid-19-home-testing-kit/ and: https://www.randox.com/tag/invest-ni/