Covid 19 made abundantly clear that our existing health services needed radical transformation to cope with the pandemic. Insufficient hospital bed capacity, too few intensive care beds, too few hospital nurses and staff, glaring structural defects accumulated over decades, as well as two separate health services on an island of 6.6 million inhabitants, were shown up as markedly inadequate. The lack of PPE and other public health resources for testing, contact tracing and protecting older people in nursing homes or health and social care workers arose from the absence of a coordinated, efficient national health service. The situation required the enactment of measures which would have been unthinkable pre-Covid 19. The budget of the Health Service Executive was expanded by €1 billion and the recruitment embargo on nurses and other key staff lifted. North and South, agreements were secured with private hospitals that they would temporarily operate as public hospitals, open to both Covid 19 and non-Covid 19 patients. In the South, patients with Covid-19 are being treated as public patients in what the caretaker Fine Gael government itself has lauded as a single national hospital service with no private-public distinction. If the extension of public healthcare can happen in a pandemic, why not also in ‘normal’ health crisis times? Why can it not be used to address the waiting lists of at least 700,000 in the South, 300,000 in the North? To address the totally inadequate step- down facilities or the lack of home care support? Or to enable everyone to have free access to GPs? The measures taken have shown that a comprehensive public health service is both possible and indispensable for providing healthcare to all when they need it. However, the Dublin government’s deal with the private hospitals, while a welcome step of making private hospitals public, is also costing the public purse €115 million a month. This continues the policy of shoring up the private sector with public money, a policy which has been shown in the North to undermine the ability of the NHS to provide timely cradle to grave treatment, free at the point of use.

The garden's aim is to produce local food and teach gardening techniques. Empowering people to produce their own food is especially important during this time of financial, societal and climate upheaval. The community garden will be totally run by volunteers, and consistently monitored by a committee. Benefits of Community Gardens Health Community gardens increase the public access to affordable, fresh, healthy food (1). People who participate in community gardens, on average, increase their fruit consumption by 10% (1) and areas with community gardens have less obesity (3). The act of gardening is a form of exercise and so participation in community gardens promotes physical activity (1,3). Urban agriculture is also linked to reductions in stress and positive mental health especially for those suffering from mental health problems (3). Community gardens generally promote public health and improve quality of life (1) Community Community gardens promote connection with the earth and with other people (7). Working with each other and sharing resources and time builds social relationships and stronger communities. Participation in community gardens is linked with increased voter registration, civic responsibility, and reduced rates of crime (3). Compared to other communal green spaces community gardens are small scale, low cost and highly used. Community garden areas of public parks see more visits than any other part of the park (2). Resilient Food System and Sustainability Urban agriculture increases food accessibility and local food security (3,1). This is of great significance to food insecure households (3). According to Safefood.eu, one in ten households in Ireland in 2018 suffered from food poverty (8). People who grow their own food, or are a part of a community garden save money by supplementing the food they buy (3). In Seattle growers were able to supplement their produce by 30-40% (3). Many urban agriculture projects produce more than they can consume and donate the excess food to community members and food banks (3). Increasing urban agriculture increases the resilience and sustainability of the city’s food system and reduces reliance on imported produce (3). This is especially relevant in the wake of the coronavirus. Local food is generally considered to be more sustainable because of the carbon cost associated with travel. Education Community gardens can be a great platform for skill shares and events like gardening workshops, and gardening tutoring, taste-testing events or discussion events (1). In one study 20% of students that started gardening in the community garden began gardening at home (1). Community gardens can be used by local schools. This is greatly beneficial for children as gardening helps develop fine motor skills and teaches them about patience, science and where their food comes from (2). Community gardens can host a variety of workshops and help people develop tangible agricultural and organisational skills (3). References 1.Community Gardens: Lessons Learned From California Healthy Cities and Communities | Joan Twiss, MA, Joy Dickinson, BS, CHES, Shirley Duma, MA, Tanya Kleinman, BA, Heather Paulsen, MS, and Liz Rilveria, MPA 2. Community Gardening By Katherine L. Adam NCAT Agriculture Specialist Published January 2011, 3.The Intersection of Planning, Urban Agriculture, and Food Justice: A Review of the Literature Megan Horst, Nathan McClintock & Lesli Hoey 4. Multifunctional Urban Agriculture for Sustainable Land Use Planning in the United States Sarah Taylor Lovell 5.Alma Anne Clavin (2011) Realising ecological sustainability in community gardens: a capability approach, Local Environment, 16:10, 945-962, DOI: 10.1080/13549839.2011.627320 6.The motivations and experiences of community garden participants in Edinburgh, Scotland David McVey, Robert Nash & Paul Stansbie 7.It takes a garden: Cultivating citizen-subjects in organized garden projects Mary BethPudup 8. https://www.safefood.eu/News/2019/New-research-reveals-households-on-low-incomes-need-to-spend-up-to-1-3-of-take-home-income-to-afford.aspx

Bonar's Quarries are seeking permission for 25 years to open an old quarry that has already adversely affected the lives of residents of this heritage town under planning number 1952015. It has gone unnoticed by most of the community during the COVID-19 pandemic but those who remember the building damage, noise pollution, air pollution and misery caused when this quarry was last operated will not want it to return. Unbelievably, the proposal is within just 800 metres of some 23 homes, a secondary school, businesses, multiple farms and within 1 km of Raphoe, a heritage town with a population of over 1000 people and with huge historical and cultural significance. Raphoe is also home to three other schools, a cathedral, a chapel, churches, numerous businesses including a livestock mart, a tourism attraction in Oakfield Park, forestry and many farms. We oppose the noise, dust, vehicular traffic, the safety record of the applicant, water pollution, vibration, the location and the release of any poisonous landfill leachate into aquifers, and second the views of the 18 page objection already lodged. There are many more suitable locations for a quarry but this one, on the edge of our town, simply must not go ahead. Therefore we need as many people as possible to CLICK BELOW TO BACK THIS PETITION and oppose living beside a functioning quarry in Raphoe for the next 25 years.

In Northern Ireland, more deaths are occurring due to Covid19 in care homes than in hospitals. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-52529270 In Ireland, all care home workers and residents are being tested for Covid19. Yet here in Northern Ireland, residents and staff are only tested for coronavirus in care homes where there is a suspected outbreak.

Covid19 is putting a spotlight on how flawed the model of private 'for profit' nursing home care in Ireland is. They are driven by profit with many now owned by huge companies. Problems with overcharging, understaffing and poor treatment of older people have hit the headlines in recent years and now they have become the epi-centre of the Covid19 pandemic. Nurses and healthcare staff in private nursing homes are not well treated - no sick leave, overworked, part-time contracts, poor working conditions, reliance on agency/temporary.

Gardens have the capacity to maintain the physical distancing and hygiene practices necessary to combat the spread of COVID-19. Community Gardens and Allotments provide for a wide scope of citizens, including low-income and marginalised people, allowing them access to organically grown, sustainable, healthy food, which might be out of their budget to purchase otherwise. We are at the start of growing season and many rely on food crops from their extended gardens to sustain them in the coming months therefore the closure notice served at the end of March hits many with additional frustration on top of ongoing situation in the society. Complete closure order from the council will inevitably lead to unnecessary food waste, but what is the worst - depression may take people's lives in an already stressful situation when many lost their jobs, or part of income, due to Covid-19. We must protect the vulnerable who find refuge and hope in growing a garden. The Local Councils must work towards improving access to HEALTHY, LOCALLY grown food in a SAFE space, while maintaining necessary precautions regarding spread of Covid-19. We can’t afford to deepen the antagonism in our society, particularly during a public health crisis. COMMUNITY GARDENS AND ALLOTMENTS ARE ESSENTIAL.

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.

Every person that has to go out to work at this time is putting theirs and their families health at risk for the sake of others needs. 10% pay rise backdated from March 9th is a very small compensation for that but at least shows SOME appreciation for staff during this time.

Our government needs to make a commitment of immediate financial support of €400,000 along with ongoing state support in whatever means that you deem appropriate and most beneficial to all involved, on behalf of my government to the Irish Community Rapid Response (ICRR) Air Ambulance in Rathcoole, Co. Cork as they now only have funding remaining for the next few days, or it risks grounding the helicopter and it’s vital lifesaving air ambulance across Ireland that has saved countless lives. These services reaches communities that ground ambulances cannot or cannot without great difficulties.

The outbreak of #COVID-19 has clearly placed HCWs at risk. Infection with 2019-nCoV has been detected in 375 HCWs, 26% of cases (as at 25 March 2020) and 1 HCW has died. #COVID-19 is spread through both direct (droplet and person-to-person) as well as indirect contact (contaminated objects and airborne transmission). This supports the use of airborne isolation precautions. 🇮🇪 #PPE4HCW ☘️ MEDICAL EVIDENCE SUPPORTING #PPE4HCW: The virus is spread by direct transmission (cough, sneeze, droplet inhalation), contact transmission (oral, nasal, and eye mucous membranes) and in the gastrointestinal tract, urine and stools (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924857920300984) The NEJM published evidence of aerosol transmission on 17 March 2020. Analysis of droplet, aerosol and surfaces found that CoV-19 could be detected in: aerosols in a relatively closed environment up to 3 hours post aerosolization, up to 4 hours on copper, up to 24 hours cardboard and up to 2-3 days on plastic and stainless steel (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2004973) One study from Nebraska found extensive levels of virus contamination in hospitals and on equipment for up to 2 days thus posing a clear infection risk to HCW (https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.23.20039446v2.full.pdf) 🇮🇪 #PPE4HCW ☘️ This evidence solidly confirms that is vital that PPE including eyewear or face shield should be worn throughout the treatment and disinfected between patients. 🇮🇪 #PPE4HCW ☘️

In the next 13 weeks as the pandemic reaches its peak, hundreds of women and pregnant people in Northern Ireland will need an early medical abortion. The government must ensure that both patients and medical staff are not placed at unnecessary risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are all being asked to stay at home for the safety of the whole country. It is unacceptable that the health of patients and healthcare workers in NI will be put at risk by enforcing unnecessary travel to clinic appointments. We know that there is the capacity to provide a telemedicine in NI immediately. Millions of women around the world have successfully used abortion pills, which the World Health Organisation states are a safe and effective means of early medical abortion. Additionally other governments have recognised the need for abortion care at home during this crisis. Failure to provide a telemedicine service will leave many women and pregnant people unable to access essential abortion care and may lead them to other unsafe means. It will also place unnecessary strain on healthcare services and put staff in danger during an already extremely difficult time. We are calling on the NI Health Minister to; (1) introduce remote consultations for abortion and no criminalisation for any nurse, midwife or doctor who provides remote abortion care during this emergency (2) allow patients to take both abortion medications in the safety of their own home (3) recognise there is no safe way to access abortion care in England during the crisis

Following the 2017 Dáil committee, on the future on Health in Ireland, it was agreed by all parties that a single-tiered healthcare system, called Sláintecare, was the best way forward. (2) Fine Gael agreed to implement this but dragged their feet, lacking the commitment to fully fund the programme and not making it a priority. (3) Now, in the face of a global pandemic it is evident that Sláintecare is necessary to protect and care for the people of Ireland. 1) (https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/election-2020-exit-poll-confirms-health-housing-homelessness-of-most-concern-to-voters-1.4167030) 2) (https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/committees/32/future-of-healthcare/) 3) (https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/social-democrats-implementing-sl%C3%A1intecare-health-plan-a-red-line-for-coalition-1.4142849)