The Minister for health proposed this measure as part of cost of living package at a cost of €50m but the rest of the Government rejected it. The scrapping of fees is long overdue as it was also promised to happen in year 1 of Sláintecare - 4 years ago. A couple of months ago we also heard of Cancer patients being harassed by debt collectors. Now more than ever we need to scrap all hospital charges. We need hospital fees scraped immediately - no more delays. https://www.businesspost.ie/health/government-rejects-cost-of-living-proposal-to-abolish-all-hospital-charges-8a0c459c https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/cancer-patients-face-intimidation-from-debt-collectors-over-treatment-fees-says-group-1.4764375 Image credit: Vox

This Government when formed a couple of years ago committed to holding a citizens’ assembly on drug use. We need to hear from our communities and people affected on how we can approach drug policy better so that we can protect peoples' lives. We cannot wait any longer.

The latest UN commissioned report on climate change has issued a code red for humanity. Our window for acting is rapidly closing. Please include your IMC registration number.

Keep Ireland LNG Free Petition Renewable energy is the future and Ireland has taken major steps towards a cleaner, greener future by banning fracking and new offshore drilling licences for fossil fuels. As thousands of communities around the world, scientists and our own government agree, it doesn’t make sense to support major new oil and gas infrastructure which could lock us into fossil energy for 30 - 40 years and damage our ability to fulfil our climate action commitments. But right now, ignoring public sentiment and government resolve [1], fossil fuel companies are planning to build multiple Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals, a particularly climate-damaging fossil fuel, on the Irish coast, including in Kerry [2], Cork, Mayo and Louth [3]. https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=11LDz8VwM-XVKenh_1CGNZJahCrZPtfc&usp=sharing?showEmbed=true These companies will continue to seek ways to side step and undermine our national efforts for a fossil free future [4]. We need to stop them once and for all by passing legislation against LNG infrastructure, the new LNG Free Bill. When we take action together, we take leaps towards a healthy planet. Working in solidarity achieved a nationwide ban on offshore drilling - let's do it again and Keep Ireland LNG free! What is LNG and why is it so dangerous? Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is fossil gas which has been turned into a liquid to be transported around the world on tankers. At every stage of its production it leaks methane, making it hugely climate-damaging [5]. On a full life-cycle basis, it is as devastating for the climate as coal or oil [6]. LNG is often obtained by fracking, which we banned in Ireland because of its appalling environmental and health impacts - including birth defects, respiratory disease and increased cancer rates in local communities [7]. However, if LNG infrastructure was developed in Ireland, we would be unable to control whether gas arriving in Ireland is fracked or not. LNG terminals could also cause significant health impacts and even risk to life for Irish communities due to air pollution and potential gas leaks and explosions [8]. Increasing our nation’s reliance on LNG fossil fuel energy will further expose us to energy insecurity and price rises, deepening the cost of living crisis. The most secure source of energy for the future is indigenous renewables supported by storage [9]. Renewables are already cheaper than fossil fuels [10] and LNG would threaten investment in renewables by flooding the market with dirty energy [11]. Take action - Keep Ireland LNG Free! Sign the petition to Taoiseach Micheál Martin asking him to pass the LNG Free Bill. Head to www.lngfree.ie for more information and actions! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/dbe48-policy-statement-on-the-importation-of-fracked-gas-published/ [2] https://secureservercdn.net/166.62.108.229/ejr.4eb.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CHPNY-PSR-Fracking-Science-Compendium-7_20210219.pdf [3] https://www.businesspost.ie/energy/new-firms-lng-plans-would-make-ireland-major-exporter-of-gas-95728294 [4] https://www.businesspost.ie/energy/shannon-lng-terminal-can-go-ahead-if-planning-is-granted-varadkar-says-503e39b8 [5] https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/files/60994617/Natural_Gas_and_Climate_Change_Anderson_Broderick_FOR_DISTRIBUTION.pdf [6] http://www.eeb.cornell.edu/howarth/publications/f_EECT-61539-perspectives-on-air-emissions-of-methane-and-climatic-warmin_100815_27470.pdf [7] https://secureservercdn.net/166.62.108.229/ejr.4eb.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CHPNY-PSR-Fracking-Science-Compendium-7_20210219.pdf [8] https://www.ran.org/wp-content/uploads/rainforestactionnetwork/pages/17026/attachments/original/1478634931/LNG_Report_Updated_11.7.pdf?1478634931 [9] https://www.stopclimatechaos.ie/assets/files/pdf/is_natural_gas_essential_for_irelands_future_energy_security_scc_study_november_2018.pdf [10] https://rmi.org/insight/clean-energy-portfolios-pipelines-and-plants/ [11] https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014ERL.....9i4008S/abstract

At the beginning of the year these students signed up to third level education and paid their student contribution fees with the understanding that they could safely and effectively complete their studies for this academic year. The change in accommodation mid-year is discriminatory towards students whos disabilities and illnesses mean they cannot risk in-person attendance while COVID-19 is still a factor.

This pandemic has impacted the global health system hugely. There is an acute staff shortage globally and Ireland has had a major blow. This fair treatment/acknowledgment of the contribution of international doctors will provide Ireland an EXPERIENCED work force in the long run to tackle post covid aftershocks. This will ultimately benefit society and the health system and also build solid trust between the Irish health system and international doctors .

Crack cocaine is decimating communities and families and has become an epidemic. Tallaght West, where the two services operate is seeing record levels of users and they need help, support and compassion. There can be no abandonment of people who need help the most. The funding must be guaranteed and the services must do their essential work.

Many Pakistani haven't seen their families for many years and have planned their annual leave to go to Pakistan around the holiday period. This unfair and unjustified travel ban means they won't be able to see their families.

Fracking and drilling pollutes our water, and damages our health. It is expected that the petroleum licencing policy that Minister Lyons will propose to the Executive could open the door for the approval of outstanding drilling and fracking applications in Fermanagh, and in the five council areas of Belfast, Antrim and Newtownabbey, Mid Ulster, Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon, Lisburn and Castlereagh. There is no time for legislation to be passed on fracking and drilling in this Assembly term. It must be stopped at the Executive.

Schools in Ireland are not safe for children or staff. The only safety measures in primary schools are hand sanitiser and open the window. The children and staff are absolutely freezing, but the windows must stay open to try to ventilate the overcrowded classrooms. We need HEPA filtration. Government must put safety measures into schools to keep everyone safe from airborne COVID. We need: · Proper contact tracing for schools - pupils and staff · Close contacts referred for PCR test, not Antigen tests · Masks for everyone, who can wear one · HEPA air filtration installed in every school room · Reduced numbers in classrooms, to allow for social distancing Teachers, Principals, SNAs and Parents want safe schools for children in Ireland. Please sign to show your support and ask your friends to sign too. Thank you.

We are failing the women and children in the community. Currently we have a population of 218,018 and no domestic violence refuge. The shortage of emergency accommodation for people affected by domestic violence is an issue that is getting progressively worse. Domestic violence spikes significantly during the festive season which is exacerbated by the pressures brought about by Covid-19 and the housing crisis. The provision for domestic violence in our area is comprehensively under developed. There are 144 refuge spaces available nationwide yet Dublin alone needs 143 refuge spaces, and Ireland needs almost 500. There are only 31 spaces, in 4 refuges, to service the entire Dublin area. 68% of the calls Women's Aid made to refuges are being turned away due to there being no room left. The nearest refuge for Rathdown is in Bray, this means that many people may have to travel for over an hour on public transport to be turned away. This huge lack of essential support services results in: • Unmet requests for refuge everyday; • Accommodation problems and homelessness; • People trapped in abusive relationships; • Increasing likelihood of people returning to violent and abusive homes; • Fear of reporting the abuse due to the lack of emergency accommodation available; The government is failing women and children. The most vulnerable people in our society are being failed on every level and government inaction continues to silence them. This is a national issue - there are currently 9 counties without a refuge. Please sign this petition, and please support the work of Carlow Women's Refuge Campaign too: https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/carlow-needs-a-women-s-refuge

Your plan to beat Covid19 depends on the public taking antigen tests but they are expensive for many people.