Every day we talk to women who have been struggling to get the right advice and support for their menopause symptoms. There are over 400,000 women in Ireland in the natural menopause age range of 45-55 – this does not included women who experience early menopause so the actual figure will be higher – this accounts for 12% of the population and this figure is most definitely higher for women who are in actual perimenopause. This is a sizable % of our population that need guidance, help and knowledge. Catherine started Wellness Warrior as a result of the lack of information and support she found as she experienced Perimenopause. Catherine has been joined by Mary Lynn in her goal to extend knowledge to as many women as possible. Over the years we have become increasingly aware of just how many women are not receiving the right support and advice at menopause, from their doctors, their employers and sometimes even their own families and friends. This is all due to a chronic lack of menopause education and awareness. We do not want the women of Ireland to struggle anymore and we want to pave the way for the next generation. Did you know in the last 20 years our lifespan in Ireland has risen by 27.7% - menopause is happening at the middle stage of our lives not towards the end as was more common in the last century. Catherine met Diane Danzebrink in 2019 and their shared passion to get the word of menopause out to everyone has led to us joining forces with Diane to extend her campaign outside of the UK. This is a marathon not a sprint - so to that effect our first set of goals as follows: Menopause in Irish Health Care : Mandatory Menopause Education for all GP’s and healthcare workers. Far too many women are suffering as GP’s receive very little, if any, menopause education during their training leaving them ill equipped to recognise and manage a phase of life that will directly affect at least 50% of the population. The UK published the most recent suicide figures and the age group for women with the highest suicide rate in the U.K is 50-54 - The average age of menopause is 51. (As we have no official menopause stats in Ireland we must defer to UK statistics). Help is urgently needed not just for the physical aspects of menopause but also the mental aspects. A national campaign to educate Irish Society in relation to menopause. Menopause in the Workplace: Raise awareness within the workplace and for all employers to have menopause guidelines in place to be able to support women experiencing symptoms. Too many women feel unsupported at work and currently 1 in 10 leave the workplace due to menopause symptoms. Supporting women to remain at work by implementing a few simple adjustments is common sense. Government and business need to recognize that menopause guidance in every workplace is a win win situation. Secondary School Education: Introduce menopause education in to the SPHE curriculum for all teenage boys and girls. Every woman and man deserves to understand this phase of life. Far too many individuals and relationships suffer as a result of a lack of understanding of menopause. The UK achieved this in July 2019, Ireland should follow suit. Please join us in calling on the Minister for Health (Stephen Donnelly), the Minister for Education (Norma Foley), Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Heather Humphreys) and Ministers responsible for health, work and education to #MakeMenopauseMatterIreland

County Sligo still has no abortion services two years on from the referendum to repeal the 8th amendment to the Constitution . Sligo-based pro choice group SARRA say that hat women , girls and pregnant people in Co. Sligo have been let down by the HSE, which is responsible for making abortion services available through the local health services. SARRA has launched this public petition to the HSE calling on it to announce a date for the provision of locally accessible abortion services through the public health system in Co. Sligo, with prompt follow-through on its responsibilities. The group say they have made extensive enquiries with health service structures locally and nationally and still have not been given any details of a date or plan to provide publicly accessible services in Sligo University Hospital or through local GPs. A spokesperson for SARRA, Peigin Doyle, said: “At present, women , girls and pregnant people in Sligo have to travel a round trip of up to 100 km, to Donegal or Roscommon, to access a GP who will give them the medical care they need. These women need to make an initial visit to a doctor followed by another visit three days later and will possibly need to make another visit for a scan if required. That journey may have to be made three times within a short period, often under great stress. This is an unfair and unrealistic burden to place on Sligo women,girls and pregnant people especially those who live in rural areas without public transport services or who cannot afford a car or time to travel. This is not what people in Sligo, or nationally, voted for. Women, girls and pregnant people in Co. Sligo deserve – and need – better than this, and they need it now. “We appeal to local GPs to respond to the needs of women in Sligo by providing the full range of reproductive health services and joining the HSE MyOptions system. We urge the HSE to train and support medical professionals in providing an accessible service at community level and establish the necessary services in Sligo University Hospital.” SARRA can be found on Facebook/Sligo Action for Reproductive Rights Access and twitter @SARRASligo and on their webpage https://northwestactivistsireland.com/sligo-action-for-reproductive-rights-access/ The My Options phone line is open from 9am-9pm Monday to Friday and 10am-2pm on Saturdays on 1800 828 010 (00 353 1 6877044 if calling from Northern Ireland). The online address is www.myoptions.ie

In Ireland up to 1,000 children a year are being forced to stay at home because they cannot get a school place. Overwhelmingly, it is children with special educational needs (SEN) - often those with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) - who are worst hit. Every child and young person with special educational, health and care needs to have the extra support and interventions which will help the child or young person to achieve what they want to in their life. We propose a viable solution for this, an Education, Health & Care (EHC) plan to be the legal and statutory right for every child or young person in Ireland, whose special educational needs require more help than would normally be provided in a mainstream education setting (a college, school, nursery). Annual review of the plan The plan will be reviewed at least once a year. At the end of the review the local authority may make changes to the plan, end it or leave it unchanged. How long will the plan last? The plan will remain in place until your child leaves education or the local council decides that your child no longer needs the plan to help them in their education. If you move to another local council the plan will be transferred. How will the benefits of the EHCp be reinforced? A specialist Tribunal will be in place (which is essentially a no costs jurisdiction) where parents and young persons can challenge the contents of a plan If provision in a plan is not provided, the Local Council (who maintain all such documents) can be challenged by way of Judicial Review or a referral to the Local Government Ombudsman. Once a petition has been published, it will be open to signatures for six months. * At 10,000 signatures, the government will formally respond. * At 100,000 signatures, the request will be considered by the Petitions Committee for debate in Dail. PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION AND SUPPORT EVERY CHILD AND YOUNG PERSON IN IRELAND TO HAVE THE LEGAL AND STATUTORY RIGHT TO AN EDUCATIONAL, HEALTH AND CARE PLAN.

The Earth's temperature is permanently increasing and 700,000 Species are extinct, the Oceans are Polluted, BUT there is no responsible action taken by the Governments and Multinational Industries.

Today a great kindness was done by concerned citizens who rescued sheep that had been brought to Kepak Slaughterhouse Athleague for slaughter on Friday but left in dire conditions without food or shelter in rain and flooding. Having contacted both Kepac Slaughterhouse and the Department of Agriculture who didn't take any action to help these vulnerable animals and seeing that one of the sheep had already died in these horrendous conditions, these brave people put themselves at risk and went out in a Kayak to bring the 9 waterlogged sheep to safety and drier land. The sheep had to be guided to safety by following the Kayak which took immense effort on the part of the rescuers and the sheep must have been so terrified. Now Kepak insist they are coming to take them for slaughter having had zero interest in meeting their welfare needs when requested. Please share this post widely and bring to light the shocking practices of these corporates whose only interest is profit... Please let these individuals have a chance at life with the kind people who brought them to safety... The option of sanctuary is just a share away for these souls!!! Please tag the media and all animal rights groups in your posts 💚

Representatives of the South Westmeath Hospice Committee along with elected representatives in Longford Westmeath met with the HSE on the 28th August. The HSE put forward proposals that include the following: 1. To close the current South Westmeath Hospice building at the end 2019 2. To provide two palliative care beds in St. Vincent’s Care Centre 3. To provide, based on need, up to four beds in a new facility in Clonbrusk, Athlone, if the HSE deem there to be a need. The HSE told the Committee and elected representatives that the rationale for this proposal is around the cost of beds in the hospice. The HSE also stated that there is a difficulty with recruitment of nursing staff for the current facility. The HSE is proposing to build a new 50 bed unit at Clonbrusk, Athlone. The Committee is at a loss to understand the stance taken by the HSE and how they can propose proceeding with a fifty bed unit in the future when they can’t, by their own statement, currently staff a 28 bed one. The South Westmeath Hospice Committee is devastated and shocked at these proposals. First and foremost, we reject all of them in their entirety and we will fight tooth and nail to preserve the facility and services that we currently have. We have informed the HSE that we will use every means at our disposal to safeguard the service and the interests of the people of South Westmeath. As a significant stakeholder in the provision of resources for palliative care we have expressed our disappointment at the lack of consultation with regard to their proposals and indeed the late stage of engagement with the South Westmeath Hospice Committee and the elected representatives of Longford Westmeath, both of whom represent the community who use and benefit from the care and support provided at the current hospice facility. The outcome from the meeting is that the HSE has agreed to shelve the proposals and have given a commitment that they will engage with the South Westmeath Hospice Committee and the elected representatives with regard to the future of our hospice. The South Westmeath Hospice Committee believes that our frustrations will be shared by the people of South Westmeath, its environs and our supporters in general. The Committee asks that people refer to our Facebook page for up-to-date factual information as this situation develops and unfolds. The Committee may need to call on the public to support us in whatever campaign is required to ensure the best possible services for our patients, their families and the community in general is maintained. The Committee of the South Westmeath Hospice assure the public of our commitment, accountability and integrity in all consultation and engagement on this issue.

We need to preserve the wild woodland habitat which currently links the villages of Rathcoole and Saggart. This site, by our local park, has real potential as an amenity for our communities, as a haven for wildlife and as a living example for nature education. Wild green spaces are becoming rarer in South Dublin. Spending time in nature improves our mental and physical health, and reduces stress. The woodland provides great walking trails. The trees, wildflowers and waterways within are vital habitats and food sources. They enable birds, frogs, mammals and insects like bees and butterflies to thrive. Trees absorb water, lessening local flooding. They release oxygen, improving our air quality. They store carbon, helping against climate change. Help to secure the woodland for future generations. Please visit us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Four-Disticts-Woodland-Group-458412544573936/

There are already discussions happening with the HSE on harm reduction and how organisers and promoters of these large gigs and festivals should be given options to keep people safe by providing on site testing kits and areas for people to test drugs they come in contact with. But it's not happening quick enough. Young people are dying. We need a change of legislation now to allow these harm reduction measures and on site testing kits to become a reality in Ireland. Whatever your opinion is on why people experiment with mind alternating substances, people will continue to do it and all of the best research around the world points to allowing harm reduction practices and providing reliable information as being the best approach for people who decide to take drugs. It is terrible that young people in the prime of their lives have to die because of making an uninformed choice. If the young man in Cork, who died after taking a substance at a festival had of known what exactly was in the substance he took, would he have taken it? Where testing areas are provided at festivals, many people dump their drugs when they discover it is not what they thought. They decide not to take a gamble on the unknown. But this is exactly what is happening to our young people every time they make an uninformed choice on drugs and take a gamble with their own lives. It's not good enough in this day and age and it shouldn't be allowed to continue. We need to be bold and tackle this growing concern for safety of our young people head on. Please support this campaign for greater awareness and safety around drugs so no more young people have to lose their lives. Sign and share as widely as you can. Thank you Jenny File photograph: Cyril Byrne / The Irish Times

There are 22 children in the Killenagh/Ballygarrett area seeking school transport to Creagh College in Gorey, approximately 16km away. Half of the parents in our group have already built their lives around the fact that the children can be brought to Creagh College by the School Transport system. Some of these children are going into 6th year. This is an additional stress on an already stressful year for any student. We’ve looked into private busses and it is simply not affordable at €40-€50 per week per child. Some families have 3 children in the school and most of us will have multiple children over the coming years. We have been advised that €4m would solve this situation nationally. We need a solution locally in two weeks. We need action NOW!! #22forcreaghbus

In Oct 2012 Marie Fleming began proceedings in the High Court to challenge the law on assisted dying.  A few months earlier I had become a member of  DIGNITAS - To live with dignity - To die with dignity, more for my particular kidney trouble than my Multiple Sclerosis.  Marie’s case was a landmark legal action specifically testing the (criminal) Irish law on assisted suicide. Unsuccessful in the High Court, Marie appealed in the Supreme Court. Although not successful in the Supreme Court (29/5/13) this court nonetheless ruled that there was nothing to stop the Oireachtas passing legislation. In 2015 inspired by and in memory of Marie Fleming, TD John Halligan helped by her partner Tom Curran introduced the ‘Dying with Dignity Bill 2015’ in the Dáil.  It reached stage one. Chiefly, I believe for lack of courage and support from TD’s it didn’t progress. In 2017 the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice and Equality met on the Right to Die with Dignity. As reported in the ‘Report on the Right to Die with Dignity’ which followed in 2018 because of the lack of clear consensus this Committee was unable to recommend legislative change at that time. The Dying with Dignity Bill is a very good piece of legislation and deserves to be supported. You could show yours here.

“It is clear that the nature and scale of the response to climate change will be the determining factor in shaping the health of nations for centuries to come.” - The Lancet Countdown 2018. Climate change has dire implications for human health; exposing vulnerable populations to extreme weather events, altering patterns of infectious diseases, aggravating risks to mental health, and compromising food security, safe drinking water and clean air. Responding to this threat is a responsibility of the health profession. Irish Doctors for the Environment are joining the Global Climate Strike on September 20th to support the students in "calling for urgent action to prevent climate breakdown and ensure a just and sustainable future". A full list of the students' demands is available here: https://www.schoolsclimateaction.ie/ IDE are encouraging Irish health professionals and clinicians who cannot make it to the strike on September 20th to show their support for the cause by signing and sharing this petition.

School leavers and other adults with disabilities can attend Rehabilitative Training Courses run by the HSE or other specialist service providers. There are about 1,000 locations to do this training around the country. Rehabilitative Training Courses are courses to help develop life skills, social skills and basic work skills for people with disabilities. People who do these training courses usually have intellectual disabilities, complex physical disabilities, sensory disabilities, mental health difficulties or autism. Each year, around 400 school leavers enroll in these training courses. Trainees attend these courses for two to four years and are supported to develop and review training plans in line with their needs and abilities. Rehabilitative training is intended to help participants progress to greater levels of independence and integration in their community. It may help in transitioning to mainstream post-school education and training or to specialist vocational training. Participants who satisfy the relevant social welfare criteria may be eligible for a weekly Disability Allowance as well as a special training allowance, which is currently €31.80 per week. However, Minister Simon Harris and the HSE have decided to axe this extra training allowance of €31.80 per week for all school leavers who start a Rehabilitative Training Course in September 2019. In addition, The HSE, which has a deficit of €116 million, has warned that it may have to curtail funding to disability services. 1. Disability Women Ireland want the training allowance of €31.80 per week to be retained for individuals starting Rehabilitative Training Courses in September 2019. 2. Disability Women Ireland want to stop this threat to the funding of Rehabilitative Training Services. This training is extremely valuable to disabled people giving them skills, independence and the ability to contribute to Irish society. The Mission of Disabled Women Ireland is (DWI) is to be a National voice for the needs and rights of women, trans and non-binary people with disabilities and a National force to improve the lives and life chances of people with disabilities. “Equality for women, and equality for disabled people must work hand in hand if either is to be successful” — Disabled Women Ireland https://www.disabledwomenireland.org/ https://www.facebook.com/DWIreland/