Stratford-on-Slaney is unique. It’s one of Ireland’s very few planned villages, built on a hill overlooking the River Slaney in 1774 and completed around the 1780s by Edward Stratford, the 2nd Earl of Aldborough. His vision was a Georgian industrial town, centred on a thriving cotton and calico printing industry that employed over 1,000 people at its peak. What’s happened? Recently, the Stratford Tidy Towns Committee placed clay mounds on our Greens without community consultation or showing residents any visual plans. Despite four requests for an open meeting to allow dialogue, they have declined to engage with us. When residents attended the most recent Tidy Towns meeting to raise objections, we were told they will only follow what the National Tidy Towns judges say about the mounds. Our community’s voice does not matter to them. Why we object: 1. Massive loss of heritage: The 2025 National judges said our Octagon, chestnut trees, and old buildings on High Street are what make Stratford a very beautiful village. These mounds destroy a 250-year-old heritage feature. 2. Health & safety: About 60 tons of soil now create dangerous bike ramps for children and block sightlines for drivers. 3. Security: Families that live on the Green are worried about privacy and falling house values. 4. Loss of tradition: The village Christmas tree can no longer be placed in the centre. Every use of the Green that served generations for 250 years will now be lost. This is our only open green space. It is the heart of our village. We are calling for the mounds to be removed and our historic Green restored.  If you believe that heritage and the original sites of our villages and towns should be cared for with pride, please sign our petition and share it with your friends. We need your support. So far we have been met with silence.

A local playground will: Provide a safe and welcoming space for children of all ages and abilities. Support physical and mental wellbeing through outdoor activity. Create a social hub where families can connect. Enhance the attractiveness and vibrancy of Cloughjordan village. Support local businesses by encouraging families to stay and spend locally.

Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in Ireland, killing over 4,500 people every year. A generational smoking ban—stopping the sale of tobacco to anyone born after a certain year—will protect our children and future generations from the harms of addiction, disease, and early death. Countries like New Zealand showed that this approach works, reducing smoking rates and saving lives. This ban is not about punishing current smokers, but about creating a healthier future. It will save billions in healthcare costs, reduce the burden on our hospitals, and ensure that no young person ever starts a deadly habit. Ireland has always been a leader in public health, and we were one of the first to ban smoking indoors, let’s make history again by becoming the next country to say no to tobacco for good.

Endometriosis is not a rare condition — yet in Ireland, people are still waiting years, often decades, for diagnosis and access to specialist care. This delay has real and lasting consequences. It means: • disease progression that could have been prevented • repeated surgeries and avoidable complications • loss of fertility and long-term health impacts • financial strain from private care and travel • emotional trauma from not being believed or properly treated Despite the publication of a national framework, the reality on the ground has not changed fast enough.  Patients are still facing barriers at every stage — from GP referral to specialist care. This is not just a healthcare issue.  It is an issue of patient safety, equality, and accountability. Why should others join this campaign? Because this could affect anyone. Endometriosis impacts 1 in 10 people assigned female at birth, meaning: • your sister • your daughter • your friend • your colleague may already be living with it — diagnosed or not. Joining this campaign is about: • Standing up for timely, safe, and appropriate healthcare • Demanding accountability for systemic failures • Ensuring future patients do not have to endure years of unnecessary suffering • Supporting a healthcare system that treats people with dignity, respect, and informed consent This is also about those who don’t yet have the voice, capacity, or support to speak out. No one should have to lose years of their life waiting to be believed. No one should have to fight this hard for basic healthcare. Join us. Sign the petition. Be part of the change.

PMDD is a serious and often misunderstood condition that can be devastating for those living with it, affecting mental health, relationships, education, work and overall quality of life.  It is commonly estimated to affect around 3–8% of people with a menstrual cycle, yet awareness and understanding remain far too low.  Research has also found extremely high levels of distress among people with PMDD:  • Approximately 1 in 3 women with PMDD have attempted suicide • Approximately 50% have self-harmed. Too many people are left without answers, misdiagnosed, or made to feel that what they are experiencing is normal when it is not. Better education, clinical awareness and clear treatment pathways would mean earlier recognition, faster support and less needless suffering. 

This is to get the point out there to the Irish government asking and telling them something needs to be done and not having women waiting years and years for a diagnosis 

Because every Irish woman will go through this. Your mother, your sister, your friend, your colleague — this affects all of us. Because 'your bloods are normal' is not a diagnosis. And too many of us know exactly what that feels like. Because this is fixable. Better training for GPs costs far less than years of misdiagnosis and repeat appointments. We need to protect our longer term health, which will in turn be better for society, reducing pressure on the healthcare system and already over burdened GPs.

AAA (Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm) is a dangerous, often symptomless, swelling in the main blood vessel (aorta) of the abdomen, primarily affecting men over 60–65. If the aorta weakens and bursts, it is frequently fatal, making early detection via a simple ultrasound screening crucial. In the UK the National Health Service (NHS) All men living in England are invited for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) ultrasound screening the year they turn 65 free of charge covered by the NHS In Ireland you have to arrange an AAA Ultrasound screening privately it is not automatically covered on the Medical Card service. In certain circumstances a GP could arrange one on the medical card if the GP deems it to be carried out but it is not done/checked as standard. One Private Provider of AAA screening in Ireland offers it at €170 with a discount for Medical Card Holders at €150 but prices do vary greatly depending on where you have the test carried out and can be more expensive. To find out more details of AAA visit wikipedia here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdominal_aortic_aneurysm To read about what the NHS UK offers to the general public read here: https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/abdominal-aortic-aneurysm-screening/

Government created this mess by failing to clarify that the Rotunda’s future is not in Blanchardstown but in Parnell Square.  We need Government to make this critical care wing happen, and demonstrate it is committed to keeping the world's oldest maternity hospital in its original home at the heart of our capital city.

Pathfinder is a collaborative HSE initiative between St Luke’s General Hospital Carlow/Kilkenny and the National Ambulance Service. It is an essential front line service that centres care around the elderly in Carlow and Kilkenny. - It supports to the most vulnerable in our communities to help them avoid a hospital stay. In 2024 they supported 300 patients and that number has been steadily increasing. They have knocked on the doors of hundreds of vulnerable people and allowed them to get the care and support they need in the comfort of their own homes. There is a wealth of data that shows hospital stays can increase the risk of catching deathly bugs or viruses. It can also increase the risk of medication errors, falls, immobility and many more instances that can increase mortality. Prevention is better than cure -  - Ultimately, where it is safe and possible to avoid a hospital stay, it can be better for a person's health, particularly someone who may already have an underlying health issue. - It also means someone does not have to go through the logistical stress of a hospital stay which makes life easier for them and often, for the people and families who care for them. Yet shockingly, over Christmas, the Management of St. Luke's decided to remove this essential lifeline and re-deploy these workers. - Despite multiple attempts they have not provided any data to suggest this move is the best use of resources or is in the best interest of vulnerable people. The management say this is a "temporary" re-deployment but the manner in which they have callously cut Pathfinders does not inspire confidence, nor have they published any data that explores the ramifications that even a "temporary" closure will have on people. To date there has been a serious lack of transparency and oversight. This petition calls on the HSE and the management of St. Luke's to reverse their decision and keep Pathfinder Workers in the community. There is no evidence to suggest that re-deploying these workers into St. Luke's will result in more early supported discharges. We need funding to enhance more essential services and ESD - Not cuts to established essential services. It is possible that the removal of this service in Carlow and Kilkenny could be the start of a Nationwide move to cut this frontline service. 

The Rapid Response Vehicle (RRV) saves lives. An Advanced Paramedic should be on the RRV 24/7 - that was the promise made to the people of Roscommon. They are the ONLY personnel in the National Ambulance Service who can provide advanced life support. We need this critical service. 

When people in the Midlands ask for help with serious alcohol or drug dependence, there is often nowhere safe for them to go. Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise has no dedicated detoxification beds, meaning people can be left in overcrowded emergency departments or sent home to unsafe situations where withdrawal can be life-threatening. Laois County Council has already called on the Minister for Health to establish detoxification beds in Portlaoise Hospital. You can get behind this call by signing the petition today  This call comes following a motion that was put down by Labour Councillor Marie Tuohy at the request of the ARC Project, a voluntary group supporting those affected by addiction, and their families  Cllr Tuohy asked that three beds for alcohol and drug be set up with seven day admission pathways and integrated links to HSE addictions services and community recovery supports. Three medically supervised detox beds would save lives, support families, reduce pressure on emergency services, and create a real pathway into recovery. This is a small, practical change — but for many people, it would make all the difference.