Exporting racing greyhounds to Asia is condemning them to certain death in areas where no animal welfare laws exist and where no rehoming programs are in place. When shipped to Macau to race at the infamous Canidrome, they are condemned to live in miserable conditions, in barren concrete cells, raced on dangerous tracks, and killed as soon as they don't place in three of five consecutive races. All greyhounds entering the Macau Canidrome will be dead within three years. At the end of 2015, the Australian ABC aired the investigation by Animals Australia regarding Australian greyhounds being exported to Asia (http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2015/s4369266.htm). Following this report, and the understandable public reaction to it, Qantas made the following statement: "...in light of the story we have made the decision to no longer provide racing greyhound freight services to Asia." (http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/qantas-will-no-longer-carry-racing-greyhounds-on-flights-to-asia-20151212-glm08m.html). This had the effect of drying up the supply of greyhounds, especially those destined for Macau. Now racing greyhounds are being sourced from Ireland. In May, a shipment of 24 Irish greyhounds bound for Asia was spotted being transferred from the animal transport van, that took them from Ireland, into a furniture removal truck in Manchester. They were then driven in this furniture truck to Heathrow, bound for Asia, but the Animal Welfare Reception Centre refused to accept them due to their cages being unsuitable. These 24 greyhounds have since been returned to Ireland to the owner who tried to ship them to Macau. The Irish government and the IGB (Irish Greyhound Board) have been pressured by a growing international community to take action, and during a joint initiative between the DAFM, the International Greyhound Forum (represented by ISPCA and Dogs Trust), and the IGB it was stated that "All parties present agreed to actively explore all avenues to ensure the export of greyhounds takes place only to jurisdictions with high welfare standards.". This may include setting up a similar policy to that implemented in Australia in 2013 by Greyhounds Australasia (GA) to make it against industry rules to export greys to destinations where welfare standards don't meet local standards. We've already seen in Australia that a similar industry ruling didn't stop exports. 179 trainers have recently been charged by Greyhound Racing New South Wales with exporting Australian greyhounds to the prohibited jurisdiction of Macau and face fines, suspension or being banned from racing (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-09/greyhound-racing-nsw-charges-179-trainers-owners/7497738). This demonstrates that an industry ban, especially when not policed, does nothing to stop greyhounds being exported to prohibited jurisdictions. What effectively stopped exports was the decision by Qantas to refuse carriage. We ask that the Irish government take a serious stand and legislates against the exportation of its racing greyhounds to countries with inadequate welfare standards. A list of jurisdictions should be drawn up that, due to inadequate welfare standards, become prohibited destinations for the export of Irish greyhounds and the government should make it illegal to export racing greyhounds to those destinations. This list should include, at least, China, Vietnam, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Pakistan, Venezuela and Argentina. We ask that the IGB be held responsible and accountable for policing and enforcing this ban.

Is é an Gaeilge ár teanga náisiúnta, agus le Aire sinsear Gaeltachta, is féidir leis an Stát an Stráitéas 20 Bliain don teanga a neartú. Ba chóir go mbeadh gach Roinn den Rialtás áiseanna as Gaeilge a chur ar fáil, agus le béim níos fearr ón córas polaitiúil, beadh seans níos fearr do athbheocháin na teanga.

Ireland has one of the lowest levels of public funding and support for arts and culture in all of Europe. Successive Irish governments claim to honour and take pride in our rich cultural heritage, celebrated artists and world-class artistic achievements but consistently fail to nurture and support the creative community. The Arts, Culture and Heritage communities have suffered disproportionately under the last government. The impact in the sector, on jobs, community and education as well as on our international reputation has not been assessed in any credible way by the incoming government. We demand a) an independent adequately resourced Department is created b) a commitment to raising funding the arts, cultural and heritage sector to European average of 0.6% c) publication of a national cultural policy that has the endorsement of the community. CÉN FÁTH A BHFUIL SÉ SEO TÁBHACHTACH? As na tíortha uile san Aontas Eorpach, cuireann Éire an méid is lú maoinithe agus tacaíochta poiblí ar fáil do na healaíona agus don chultúr.. Bíonn Rialtas i ndiaidh Rialtas sa tír ag maíomh as an mbród agus as an mórtas a bhíonn orthu as saibhreas ár n-oidhreacht cultúir, as ár n-ealaíontóirí iomráiteacha agus as ár sár-ghaiscí ealaíne ach, ag an am céanna, déanann siad faillí orthu siúd atá ag gabháil do na healaíona, gan cóir ná tacaíocht ceart a chur ar fáil dóibh. Tá na pobail atá ag gabháil do na healaíona, don chultúr agus don oidhreacht tar éis fulaingt as cuimse faoin rialtas deireanach. Níl aon mheasúnú sásúil déanta ag an rialtas atá tagtha i gcumhacht ar an tionchar a bhí aige seo ar an earnáil, ó thaobh fostaíochta de, ó thaobh an phobail agus an oideachais de ná ó thaobh ár gcáil go hidirnáisiúnta. Táimid ag éileamh a) go gcruthófar Roinn neamhspleách a mbeidh dóthain acmhainní tugtha di; b) gealltanas go n-ardófar maoiniú earnáil na n-ealaíon, an chultúir agus na hoidhreachta go dtí meán-chaiteachas na hEorpa, 0.6% den OTI; agus c) go bhfoilseofar polasaí cultúir náisiúnta a mbeidh tacaíocht an phobail aige.

CE Supervisors STILL have no pension. In July 2008, the Labour Court recommended that an agreed pension scheme should be introduced for Community Employment (CE) scheme supervisors, to be funded by FÁS, the agency responsible for CE at that time, but now with the Department of Social Protection. Yet CE Supervisors STILL have no pension.There are people who have worked 20 years or more as CE supervisors, who have supported and trained thousands of people to find good jobs, while 8 years after that Labour Court ruling, there is still no pension for them. This shocking when you consider that it is the Department of Social Protection that funds all Community Employment schemes and supervisors. It is time to take action on that Labour Court ruling. So we ask the incoming Minister of Social Protection to step up and put a pension plan in place for CE Supervisors. Don't put it off any longer....

Ireland has a commitment to live up to its international humanitarian obligations

How does a society learn from its errors? In a vibrant republic people obtain purpose and trust from the seat of government, which is rarely a single institution. Sadly, the Irish people are too often witnesses to how weakly their Republic is governed. The people cannot find in their institutions a sustained capacity to defend their interests. Such lack of trust is untenable. Given the benefit of learning from past errors - quite relevant to Irish society in this centenary year - we need to address an unresolved disaster from our century. The catastrophic banking collapse of 2008/9 was nurtured by the weakness of our public institutions. We need to learn from the reality of this financial disaster which casts its shadow of debt over us. We have to accept that our Republic was attacked by the negligence of our financial regulators, at numerous levels. We have to accept that there was an implosion of the public interest and this banking episode was simply the means for that to tear into our social fabric. WE can learn from these errors by demanding a forum to establish a public governance where our futures are made safer; Where we can examine and teach and guard against those who would place the citizen’s interests at risk again. In effect a foundation would be established to facilitate citizen empowerment and participatory decision making. We can find the power to insure that this state is fully aware of its responsibilities to our society. And now our Central Bank intends to vacate the ground zero of our odious debt. Is it their prerogative to tell us that this landmark is not available for learning and public discourse? We say that at long last our building can begin to explicitly serve the interests of Irish society. Note: users of the building would be Charities and NGOs who agree to engage in a cooperative enterprise to reduce disadvantage and to coordinate front-line intervention services. The types of services to be assimilated could range across housing, health and social protection, legal assistance and debt resolution facilities, planning, community development, and sustainability. The list of agencies and NGOs who could be integrated into this “hub” runs to several dozen. such a transfer might be established by a Covenant whereby for twenty years the Foundation would have control of the premises. In those two decades it could generate rental income from commercial tenancy in suitable areas of the building. This income along with other forms of public support would create a development account to allow for an eventual full legal transfer from the Central Bank.

Ireland needs a better democracy giving people a greater say and improved accountability of government. Currently less than 5% of Irish voters are entitled to the vote in Seanad Elections. This is undemocratic and elitist. In 2013 a majority of Irish people voted to retain the Seanad and gave a clear message that they wanted it reformed rather than abolished. A reformed Seanad could improve democracy in Ireland if, • all citizens are given the vote to elect Senators to the Seanad • the Seanad is given meaningful powers to enable it to fulfil its role to scrutinize government and propose legislation The Oireachtas working group on Seanad Reform 2015 concluded that “a parliamentary assembly such as Seanad Éireann whose electoral system excluded the majority of its citizens from participation lacked popular legitimacy”. The government, therefore, should show their commitment to democratic reform by enacting legislation to • • Provide for free and fair elections to Seanad Éireann where the franchise (entitlement to vote) is extended to all Irish citizens over 18 including Irish citizens in Northern Ireland and to holders of Irish passports living overseas • • A majority of Seanad seats to be elected by popular vote on the principle of one person one vote • • Strengthen the powers of the Seanad to scrutinise, amend, and initiate legislation

Are you a graduate of UCD, Trinity, NUIM, UCC, NUIG, RCSI, or NCAD? Did you know that you are eligible to vote in the upcoming Seanad election (set to take place on April 26th)? Emigrants who are graduates are also eligible to vote. But you must be registered to vote. However, due to lack of awareness and publicity, there are tens of thousands of graduates who have not registered. For the General election it is possible for a voter to be added to the Supplementary Register up until 15 working days before polling day. But in the Seanad Elections this is not currently the case. In fact, you needed to register before February 2015 to be eligible to vote in this year’s Seanad Election. The current Seanad register is not representative of people who have graduated in recent decades. For example, less than 10% of NUI college graduates since 2000 are registered to vote. That is why the Minister for Environment should set up a supplementary register for the 2016 Seanad Election. This would allow graduates to register up to Monday 18th April (which is reasonable as it is the same date for acceptance of change of address notification). This is also important for Irish emigrants because it is the only election where emigrants have the right to vote. The Minister should add to this supplementary register anyone who has registered since February 2015 and he should then promote the extended deadline for Seanad registration and the requirement for NUI & Trinity graduates to register in order to have their vote. The Seanad is in need of significant reform such as giving all citizens the entitlement to vote in Seanad Elections. Extending the registration deadline would at least, in the interim, extend the opportunity to vote to tens of thousands of Irish citizens in Ireland and abroad.

Twelve percent of the population of Ireland are migrants, of whom so many have the right to vote. Migrants bring enterprise and initiative, and in order to actively participate in Irish society, migrants must be visible in all spheres of Irish life and be represented proportionally to our number in the Irish population in all decision making processes. Irish political actors have done little or nothing to reach out to immigrants during elections. Integration has dropped off the radar and from the programmes of all political parties. A diverse republic needs inclusive politics and institutions that reflect the composition of a diverse society. Government bodies and local authorities need to do much more to engage with immigrant communities. We, the Migrant-Led Coalition, are calling on all politicians and candidates to sign up to our election manifesto and pledge to represent the needs of their migrant constituents.

Since pre-industrial times, our world has warmed by a global average of almost 1 degree celsius, due primarily to greenhouse gas pollution from human activities. This has already triggered serious planetary-scale climate disruption, and is having devastating humanitarian impacts on vulnerable communities in diverse geographical regions. But we are not powerless. We can still act: both to limit the speed and ultimate severity of global climate impacts, and to brace our own society for the potentially drastic shocks ahead due to the climate disruptions we have already initiated. This will require urgent and radical societal transformation. That can only happen with the willing engagement and support of the people. We need a genuine, sustained process that allows every single citizen and community in Ireland to fully consider the range and nature of the changes we face, and to advance policies and actions that are commensurate with them. Only in this way can we hope to create the unity and solidarity that is essential to create a strong, resilent, and genuinely sustainable society. We need a Citizens' Convention for a Post-Carbon Ireland.

The Flaggy Shore is a beautiful, unspoilt piece of County Clare, enjoyed by many. Today, the people who run Failte/Discover Ireland/Wild Atlantic Way erected a hideous steel sign at the beach end of the Flaggy Shore. No one living along or near to the Flaggy Shore was consulted about this sign. We do NOT want it, nor do the many visitors to the Flaggy Shore. We ask that you TAKE IT AWAY NOW!! How about investing our money in the development of the roads along the Wild Atlantic Way??? PLEASE, remove this insulting sign at once.

Just when we thought Ibrahim was coming home, the finish line was moved again by the Egyptian courts. This time, the verdict has been delayed until September 18th. The next three weeks are crucial. The Irish Government must show that they are willing to take legal action unless Ibrahim is granted his freedom.