It is understood the first dose of Astra Zeneca is just 30% effective against the Delta variant. With the rising incidence of the highly transmissible Delta variant in Ireland, this means that the elderly and most vulnerable that have only had one dose of Astra Zeneca are now LESS protected than the rest of the population. Studies have found that immunization with AstraZeneca and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines safe and well-tolerated. Canada, Finland, France, China, Spain, Sweden, Bahrain and the UAE among others are already using a mixed Covid-19 vaccine strategy. Mixing vaccines is not a new idea (it has been used successfully with HIV and Ebola). Research shows that mixing vaccines can elicit a stronger/longer-lasting response than a single vaccine regimen. Having a flexible immunisation program would also allow Ireland to be nimble in the face of possible global supply constraints.

The 300 million PLWRD around the world and their families face common challenges in all aspects of their daily lives. As a population with increasing vulnerabilities, they are disproportionally affected by stigma, discrimination and social marginalization, within their social environment and in society at large. The paucity of knowledge and expertise on rare diseases and the lack of awareness of the challenges faced by PLWRD mean that they are psychologically, socially, culturally and economically vulnerable. b) There are a number of synergies between the rare disease community’s needs and goals, and those of the UN 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals1 ,

South William street has received an unfair treatment after being only partially pedestrianised although it received 95% public and local businesses support for full pedestrianisation during the trail last summer and 97% during the consultation in November. This decision to support partial pedestrianisation was made after Brown Thomas car park refused to compromise and redirect its traffic onto Clarendon Street, although this worked perfectly fine during the pedestrianisation trail last summer. Partial pedestrianisation doesn’t make any sense! If you have you been on South William street on a busy Saturday or Sunday afternoon, you know that it looks and feels incredible, the energy is fantastic. However the footpaths are just too narrow, the street gets congested, traffic is not moving, air pollution is trapped in between beautiful tall Georgian buildings. The survival of hundreds of small local businesses and the health and safety of our public is now at stake. It's time to make the changes! We need to act like a modern European city that is evolving and needs space to breathe. Streets are for people! Innovative change is needed for the city centre. Please sign this petition to show your support for full pedestrianisation of South William street.

Eirgrid, who operate the Irish Electricity Grid, plans to link the electricity grids in the Republic and North of Ireland by a 400kv overhead power line called the North South Interconnector. This plan would involve the erection of 409 steel pylons ranging in height from 26m to 51m through rural Meath Cavan and Monaghan and Tyrone in close proximity to many homes. This proposal has been rejected vehemently by the residents of these counties on the basis of (a) Health risks associated with living in close proximity to power lines, in particular an association with childhood leukemia, (b) Impact on Heritage, Community life, farming and wildlife (c) Visual impact (d) Noise (e) Impact on property values. From the outset the affected communities, through their representative group NEPP (North East Pylon Pressure) have advocated for the project to proceed using underground cabling to connect the power grids. Eirgrid rejected this proposal stating initially that it wasn't feasible and would cost from 10 to 25 times the overhead option. Eirgrid have since had to concede that undergrounding is indeed feasible and that their costings were grossly wide of the mark. Undergrounding is not in fact more expensive when all costs are taken into account. Indeed Eirgrid have recently selected UNDERGROUND CABLING as the best option for the Kildare-Meath Grid link upgrade. Eirgrid state ..."during the consultation period, new information was received in the form of advice from the Asset Owner cable specialists suggesting that UGC can be constructed in a more efficient manner than was previously assumed.." It can be laid along the road side in a trench 2m by 2m. Had Eirgrid used the same criteria in the Public Consultation process for NSI there is no doubt the NSI would be undergrounded. It is worth noting that Eirgrid are planning to underground the Celtic Interconnector and have dropped plans for the Grid west Overhead line. Why scar the landscape and negatively impact our rural communities for generations to come when there is a viable alternative. Help us to preserve the beauty of our landscape and protect the Health and well-being of our communities. Undergrounding this project is feasible and affordable. We call on Govt to direct Eirgrid accordingly.

Birth partners are not visitors; they often are the other parent to the baby/babies and provide essential physical, mental and emotional support during pregnancy and birth. While pregnancy is not an illness, pregnant people are particularly vulnerable emotionally and mentally, and having to attend appointments without the support of a trusted partner can leave them feeling alone, scared and anxious. This can lead to mental health issues. Prior to the pandemic, one-third of women found their birth experience traumatic, which can significantly affect their lives, their relationships and their transition to parenthood; restrictions are compounding this. Birthing people and their partners should be treated in an holistic way, protecting their physical, emotional and mental health.

A community centre is vital to support delivery of services for the community especially older and younger members of the community. Most importantly it will provide a hub for community activity and connection!

There is an illusion that maternity care is covered under public health in Ireland, yet some women are paying thousands of euros for essential medicines to get them through pregnancy.

Conversion therapy is an inhumane practice, based on the belief that being gay or transgender is something that can ‘be cured’. Since we launched, survivors have been sharing their stories of suffering at the hands of conversion therapy and the adverse effect it has had on them. This is still going on, it is still ruining lives. It has to stop. Members of the LGBTQ+ community have suffered trauma and developed serious mental health problems as a result of experiences of conversion therapy, and some have taken their lives as a result of their experiences. This is a tragedy. We in the ACTC want to ensure that conversion therapy, both in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland, is relegated to history. We hope that you can sign our petition today as a showing of support for all those in the LGBTQ+ community, and all of those who are no longer with us as a result of conversion therapy. Your signature will send a clear message to our politicians that we want to see this reprehensible practice outlawed without exception. Go raibh míle maith agaibh. Thank you all very much. Anti Conversion Therapy Coalition. Twitter- @antictcoalition Facebook- Anti Conversion Therapy Coalition Instagram- @antictcoalition Email- [email protected]

We're in a biodiversity crisis, and it's vital that we stop spraying chemicals that kill our bees and other pollinators. You have the power to influence customers to make better decisions and have beautiful gardens where biodiversity can thrive.

The Grotto is a much loved community site that the public has continually accessed for over 70 years. It is a spiritual sanctuary for residents and visitors alike, a much used green area, a respite area for shoppers. The Grotto is essential to the wellbeing and mental health of the community. It is in constant use by people of all ages and all creeds from all social classes. The Grotto should be protected due to its importance to the cultural heritage and history of the Liberties. It was built by Canon Francis Gleeson, parish priest of Meath Street from 1944, with the help of the local community. It was built as a monument to those who died in The Great Wars. We believe that the proposed extension of the already permitted development will seriously risk the existence of this important local monument which is an integral part of the culture, heritage and tradition of the area. There is already an oversaturation of hotels in The Liberties. Please protect our Grotto.

Last week, the Irish Government published a report on children’s rights and best interests in the context of assisted human reproduction, written by the Special Rapporteur for Child Protection, Professor Conor O’ Mahony. If adopted, the recommendations contained in this report would address numerous legislative gaps that prevent children conceived through AHR, from having a legal parent-child relationship with both the parents, who love and care for them on a daily basis. Equality for Children are calling on the Government and Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly to immediately adopt and implement the recommendations made in this report. We urge you to sign our petition in order to push the Irish government to take the actions our children need! More information about the report: The report by Professor O’Mahony provides clear, practical solutions, which uphold the rights and best interests of children including their right to family life, identity and non-discrimination. The report recognises the reality of AHR treatment, which can often involve needing to access services abroad. The report also highlights the need for legislation to address the real-life circumstances of individual children including those already born, so they can establish a legal parental relationship to the parents who love and care for them daily. It highlights the need to provide comprehensive legislation to cover areas such as; altruistic surrogacy in Ireland, the recognition of the rights of children born through international surrogacy, and crucially addressing the gaps in both the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 and the drafted Assisted Human Reproduction Bill by including children already born through surrogacy, children conceived using a known donor and children conceived outside of clinical settings. The report acknowledges the distress caused to children born through assisted human reproduction and their families due to the absence of appropriate legislation “Children have been left in vulnerable legal positions for lengthy periods of time due to the failure of the Oireachtas to legislate to address their status.” Ranae von Meding, CEO of Equality for Children says, “Last week’s launch represents another crucial step forward in our campaign. By adopting all of the recommendations in Professor O’ Mahony’s report, thousands of children in Ireland will finally be able to have a legal parent-child relationship with both of their parents, something that has been denied to them to date. This includes children born to gay dads through surrogacy, children conceived using known donors and those conceived outside of clinical settings left behind in the Children and Family Relationships Act, 2015”. “Significantly, the report recognises the uneven impact the CFRA has had on children conceived outside of clinical settings and born to LGBT+ parents who cannot rely on the presumption of paternity/maternity as male-female couples can. This very principle has been a significant pillar of our campaign at Equality for Children, as it has effectively resulted in children of LGBT+ parents being discriminated against based on the sexual orientation of their parents.” “We urge the Government to act swiftly and adopt all of these recommendations into legislation governing assisted human reproduction. It is almost 6 years since our country voted for marriage equality. We are still waiting for the legislation that will allow the children of LGBT+ parents to be treated equally." “As it stands currently , in the vast majority of LGBT+ families, only one parent can be a legal parent. This must change. It’s not equal and it’s not what we voted for.”

This is extremely important as many people are left to suffer on long waiting lists or are forced to pay privately for services. Covid 19 has also had a negative effect on accessing these services and as a result investment is vitally required to keep these services running and develop them further, so they are accessible for all. For those who are unable to pay for services privately or are not able to travel for services ,accessing neurological services becomes extremely inequitable and this is something that needs to change.