Electricity prices have risen rapidly in the last couple of years. People are having problems paying their bills and covering their monthly costs. We need an urgent cap on electricity prices to stop these companies from hiking their prices any further.

The issue of employment status has become particularly pressing with the recent launch of PWO's report, 'Workers in All, but Name, Pay, and Conditions' (find at: https://pwo.ie/our-policies/); and imminent publications the Irish Universities Association (IUA) and the final draft of the government's 'National Review of State Supports for PhD Researchers.' PhD researchers have none of the standard entitlements of employees such as PRSI, sick leave, maternity leave, the minimum wage, or the right to join a trade union. They earn less than subsistence wages in conditions of insecurity. The call for employee status has been made as a solution to these problems, bringing us in line with European best practice. Recently organisations such as IFUT, SIPTU, and the USI have all endorsed employee status. But the IUA and university administrators have voiced their opposition. We believe an issue as important as this should be debated openly and across the entire college community. The discussion should not be confined to boardrooms, and all should have the opportunity to hear both sides and express their opinion. That is why we call on the Provost to commit to organising a public debate on the issue that will be open to all students and staff.

The new bye-laws concerning the harbour of Skerries are being brought into effect of March 1st 2024 which effect the town of skerries and the use of the harbour and the surrounding "inner harbour" use by all persons and vessels. Local government and representatives have done nothing to support the concerned people of Skerries and stop the Fingal County Council from making new sets of rules which will introduce fines and call for people to be guilty of an offence by continuing their boating/vessel activities in the harbour and surround bay / "inner harbour" of Skerries. Your support to object to the county council heavy handed and authoritarian methods is required. Not only to cause resistance to the new bye-laws but to bring a stop to local authority and elected representatives to doing "whatever they want" when it comes to our town of Skerries with little to no consideration for the people of the town. The people who have voted for such representatives yet receiving no representation once the votes have been counted. When done to others for other issues that do not directly affect YOU, it is no big deal right? Until the day it does effect YOU. Then you will understand why a town must pull together and support each other. The bye-laws proposed do not follow any law of the land of Ireland and are being introduced by the county council to undermine the use of the harbour as we have all known it for generations to date. Your support in signing this petition is to take a stand and have your say or voice heard. It is one thing to join a protest or a march and it is another to know what is going on in your own local back yard and see how changes may not always be for the better of the majority. Again if the local "reps" wish to receive continued support for their careers then it is YOU and all of us together that can demand of them TRUE & PROPER representation. Do not allow local reps and Fingal county council to sweep things under the carpet or make swift changes to the town you have grown to love without having YOUR say. You will note that some of the bye-laws are supported by acts of law or Irish statute, while other new bye-laws are creating / being invented without the support of any established Irish law or statute. It is important to sign the petition for so many more reasons than can be typed into this box. The bye-laws below have been voted on in favour of by council members and approved to come in to effect March 1st 2024. Sign below to support the towns of Skerries, Balbriggan, Loughshinny & Rush. A copy of Harbour bye-laws can be found online

We are a little coffee truck in an area where there is no other barista coffee, we have been in this area for the last 4 years, in which we have made many friends in addition to our customers, to be able to continue in this area we need your help. Please sign our petition.

On February 8th 2024, the UK government blocked a British Phonographic Industry (BIP) funding award that would help Belfast rap trio Kneecap to expand their music in global markets. Their application was approved and signed off by an independent selection board, but he UK government overruled this decision. A spokesperson for Kemi Badenoch cited that the UK government "didn't want to hand out UK tax money to people that oppose the United Kingdom itself." The British government blocking arts funding for a group because they aren't pro-union goes against the very essence of the Good Friday Agreement, artistic freedom and free speech. No government should be removing funding due to an artist’s position on constitutional the future of the north.

Because we should be able to cross the road safely, without causing an accident.

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.

The annual White House visit is enormously symbolic. For Irish Politicians to boycott the Biden Administration, it could weaken America's continuing support for Israel. It would also send ripples across the world and further highlight the plight of the Palestinian people on a global stage. It sends a signal that Ireland and the vast majority of the people in this country, says no to this genocide, opposes what is happening and opposes US support for it. It's important that the government and all politicians say they will not be going to shake hands with Joe Biden and other members of the US administration. Exact Wording of the motions to be proposed on Monday 12th - 1) Carlow Council agrees apartheid Israel is engaged in a genocide in Gaza. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed, including over 10,000 children. Many more have been seriously injured and traumatised, almost 2 million people are displaced and face a catastrophic humanitarian crisis with famine conditions. Carlow Council commends the mass movement that has erupted across Ireland against the violence in recent months. 2) Carlow Council notes that Israel's murderous campaign of collective punishment is highly dependent on the military, financial and political support of Joe Biden and the US government in particular. This council also notes the Biden Administration has opposed calls for a humanitarian ceasefire, and that Biden has personally bypassed Congress to transfer arms to Israel during the genocidal war that will cause widespread death and suffering in Gaza. Therefore this council will write to the Irish Taoiseach and all political parties, calling on them not to attend St Patrick’s Day celebrations in the White House, nor to meet with President Joe Biden or any representative of his administration as part of the St Patrick’s Day events. Accordingly, members of this Council expected to travel to the U.S. will instead invite Irish-American associations with links to Carlow to travel to Carlow to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

Young people across the UK and Ireland currently live in an electoral postcode lottery. 16 and 17 year olds in Scotland and Wales are allowed to vote in local and Parliamentary elections, while their peers in Northern Ireland cannot.  Scotland and Wales join a host of other nations across the world which have chosen to extend voting rights to their young citizens, including: • Austria • Brazil • Cuba • Ecuador • Parts of Germany • Greece • Malta • Nicaragua, and more! Young people living in Northern Ireland feel disenfranchised and unsupported by our political system. Lowering the voting age to 16 will give our young people a democratic voice, ensuring that their voices can be heard on the issues that matter to them.  Why now? Recent comments by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in support of votes at 16 have sparked some heated public debate on the issue. Many of the arguments put forward have been based on assumptions about young people's behaviour, maturity and competence. But we no longer need to rely on assumptions - we can look at the international evidence!  1. Young people are capable and engaged  - when faced with situations that require unhurried, deliberate consideration - 'cold cognition' - 16 year olds demonstrate judgement as mature as that of adults. In the weeks and months before an election, young people have time to use their cold cognition skills, gathering evidence and talking to their friends, family and peers before making an informed decision. 2.  Many young people are political activists and campaigners - globally and locally, 16 and 17 year olds have campaigned for climate action, better mental health services, RSE and much more. 3. Young people have minds of their own - it's true that in most European countries, young people tend to support left-leaning parties in higher numbers than adults. But just like adults, young people hold a range of views and opinions from across the political spectrum (see trends in Austria, Germany and Scotland) 4. Younger voters are lifelong voters - at age 18, many young people are in a transitional phase of life - leaving school, starting uni or work, moving out of the family home or their hometown. They might not be familiar with local issues and candidates, or with voting registration systems and requirements. These conditions can dampen rates of voter turnout. But at the ages of 16 and 17, young people are more likely to in environments with strong socialisation influences, like the family home and school. Evidence from Scotland shows that when they are given the right to vote, 16 and 17 year olds turn out in greater numbers than those aged 18 - 24! 5. Respect for fairness and equality - young people aren't just citizens of the future - they're full and equal citizens now! At the age of 16, young people in NI can work, pay taxes, provide care for loved ones, get married and serve in the Armed Forces. They're an active and valuable part of society - why shouldn't they have a say in how things are governed? The importance of education When 16 and 17 year olds are granted the right to vote in Northern Ireland, it is vital that this is accompanied by plans to develop high-quality civic education. Deliberative political literacy education can help to mitigate inequalities in political knowledge, confidence and participation from the earliest possible stages. Schools and youth organisations have a crucial role to play in empowering, supporting and encouraging young people to engage meaningfully with politics.  Credit for Image: Bulat Silvia

0% Irish female solo artists featured in the Top 50 Radio Charts songs of 2022. In 2023 only 3% 3% of the Top 100 Songs on Irish radio in 2023 included solo/lead/front Irish female artists. 3,255,000 listeners tune into Irish radio every weekday. When it comes to music, getting your song added to a playlist on a radio station can be life-changing for an Irish artist. The Irish broadcasting sector has historically not supported women or diverse artists in music from Ireland. Following a series of Gender Disparity Data Reports conducted by Linda Coogan Byrne and her team at Why Not Her?, the evidence showed that Irish radio managers consciously decide year in and year out to exclude Irish female-identifying artists, female fronting bands and diverse artists from Radio Playlists across Ireland. Of songs featured in the Top 50 Radio Charts of 2022, only 12% were by domestic Irish artists or bands (0% Irish female solo artists). This translates to 6 songs by 4 Irish artists: 1 song by Belters Only feat. Jazzy; 3 songs by Dermot Kennedy; 1 song by Moncrieff; and 1 song by Welshy feat. Nono. None were by Irish persons of colour - solo artists or groups - and none were by female solo artists or groups. Fast forward a year later and only 3% of the Top 100 Songs on Irish radio in 2023 included solo/lead/front Irish female artists: Jazzy*, Aimée and Dolores O'Riordan of The Cranberries. As the years go by, it is becoming more and more difficult for Irish people to discover and hear the music of Irish women and diverse artists. When asked why there are so few women artists played on the radio, managers said: "Men make better music than women" "Why are you feeding us to the wolves?" "We don't have the budget to be diverse" "We don't make the rules" "Women just moan" "She is too old and long in the tooth to be making music" "We actually had some women on a Special Friday Night show back in Feb" "It's the label's fault, not ours" "You should analyse the record companies. You’ll see an imbalance in what we’re being sent". "It is whatever makes the charts" "People prefer to listen to male acts, they request them on air!" "You need to be careful and stop stepping on people's toes in radio" "You need to stop asking questions" In the meantime, many new and emerging male artists are recognised and supported across the airwaves, allowing for a host of new household names to emerge in the landscape of Irish music in the past decade. It is common for white male lead/front artists/bands such as Hozier, Gavin James, Cian Ducrot, Robert Grace, Moncrieff, The Script, etc. to be heavily played during the day and evening on Irish airwaves, while their diverse and female counterparts are played in the middle of the night. The Journal.ie 13.02.24 https://www.thejournal.ie/prev/6298235/dvX7Tyf5Xocvo/

This interim flood relief scheme will allow us to sleep at night and not worry about waking up to waist-height contaminated water and having to carry our babies out to safety again. The residents of Gleann Fia are continuing to live this nightmare every time it rains.

I am calling on you to boycott St. Patrick's Day Celebrations at The White House this year. This would be a powerful sign of solidarity with Palestine that would reflect the feelings of Irish people & have a massive impact around the world. You are either against genocide in Gaza or you are not. I will not vote for any politician who travels to Washington & shakes the blood-soaked hands of Joe Biden.