I am an 18 year old bisexual Irishman. I wanted to give blood as we are in crisis at the moment because there is a shortage of blood donations in this country. However, I have just discovered that because I have had a sexual relationship with a man in the last 12 months I am ineligible. I have been tested for all STI's including HIV in the past 3 months. I therefore am of no greater risk to a patient as any straight male or female my age. This policy allows for the complete discrimination and ostracizing of a large community of men in Ireland for no reason other than an outdated unfounded belief that gay or bi men are in some way "tainted" or "dirty". In 2001, the criteria for blood donor eligibility in Italy were modified by a ministerial decree from a permanent deferral for "men who have sex with men" to an individual risk assessment of sexual behaviours. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of this change in donor screening criteria on the human immunodeficiency virus epidemic among blood donors in Italy. When comparing the period before (1999) and after (2009–2010), the implementation of the individual risk assesment policy in 2001, no significant increase in the proportion of men who have sex with men compared to heterosexuals was observed among HIV antibody-positive blood donors, suggesting that the change in donor deferral policy did not lead to a disproportionate increase of HIV-seropositive men who have sex with men. in simpler terms, the change in blood donation policy in Italy did not increase the amount of HIV positive blood being donated. meaning that an individualized risk assessment is as good as a ban on men who have sex with men (MSM) this combined with the fact that an entire community of men were now able to donate blood means that it had an overall positive impact on the health care system in Italy I believe the same thing needs to be done in Ireland. it needs to be done now. I urge you to sign this petition to allow gay and bi men to donate blood and lastly I leave you with this simple question. If you were dying and needed my blood would you refuse it because of who I am?

Dublin City Council have demanded the return of the building following an unanimous vote by elected Representatives to have the building returned to community control. Cllr Tina MacVeigh got the support of the community and all the public representatives to return this iconic building to Community Control ! This has so far not happened despite a deadline imposed on Martin Keane to return the keys by 31st Jan 2018. The businessman has held the building for over 20 years and has not delivered on his promises. The building needs to be returned to Dublin City Council so that the council and the community it serves can decide together on the future of this iconic Dublin building and how best it can serve its community! The latest that Cllr Tina MacVeigh has done is to ask the council for a public consultation to deliver a simple message to our council why we the community needs this building in community control ! This June we need to give them a simple message take the building back and let the community have a community space !

The Sex Education Bill will deliver: Factual, objective and scientific sex education for all schools regardless of religious ethos Consent and sexual harassment issues being part of the curriculum LGBTQ+ inclusive sex education Sex education that is not gender normative and teaches about all genders Education on abortion in factual and objective way Education on all forms of contraception

Our health service is in crisis. I heard a lady on the radio say "you would never believe the conditions unless you see it". I firmly believe that to be true. Our health service will never improve until Irish politicians (and preferably their families) have to rely solely on the public health system. Do we not have the right to prompt and effective healthcare. It shouldn't become a matter of your ability to pay. It might stop them trying to fix the public health services by pumping unending money into private hospitals. Please sign and share.

After an 11-year delay, the Government recently took the final steps towards ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. However, it turns out that the government has for now abandoned its pledge to at the same time ratify a key protocol that goes along with the Convention. The protocol gives people with disabilities a real chance to achieve their rights in cases where the government is failing them. The protocol allows groups or individuals to make complaints to the UN to ensure the government does what it says it will do. This government has effectively turned its back on 640,000 people with disabilities in this State by failing to ratify this protocol.

Health care staff are so important in all of our lives. They care for us and go beyond the call of duty so often. It is not their fault that the storm is causing such disruption. Telling them that they have to take unpaid leave or eat into their holidays is down right unjust and deeply uncaring.

The population of Lusk and also it's surrounding area's is growing at a rapid pace and therefore it is imperative to facilitate this growth. A swimming pool would not only bring some much needed investment and also ease the pressure of unemployment but also facilitate the area for our children to enjoy. The Lusk Sports Hub 2020 is a fantastic new project that will bring a multiple of new sporting facilities to the area with the exception of a hugely required swimming pool. In addition, the erection of the Lusk Sports Hub, Lusk will become the epicentre of sporting facilities for the surrounding areas and therefore a swimming pool is a necessity and not just a requirement. Swimming is not only a life saving technique that everyone should be taught from a young age, but it is also an incredibly fun and enjoyable experience for the old and young, whether it’s for ones mental health, fitness, leisure or play everyone can enjoy the benefits of a swimming pool. Kind regards, LSP.

Saleem has openly advocated for Female Genital Mutilation a barbaric practice The Criminal Justice Act 2012 states it is illegal to practice or attempt to practice FGM Saleem is openly encouraging a criminal act

At the moment the Dep of Education doesn't allocate a set time for eating, leaving each school to decide it for themselves. For many years parents have been complaining that children were coming back home with their lunches barely touched, their explanation being the lack of time. This is a very unhealthy habit that concurs in many eating related problems, in the short as in the long term (as obesity and other issues) We believe it's time to review this and the first step is for the schools to have set a minimum of 20 minutes for eating in a single lunch break, followed by the recreation time.

We want the people's voice to be heard respecting water and sanitation services in Ireland, and a referendum be held. Across the globe ordinary people have undergone tremendous hardship and suffering when water services are privatised. Water is a human right and must never be under the control of 'for profit' companies. Publicly owned, funded and managed water and sanitation services, free at the point of use, is the only way to guarantee access for all.

Alcohol marketers direct advertising at them with the aim of gaining lifelong loyal customers. These companies are well known as the best and most effective advertisers in the world. Why is it that children cannot enter dedicated off-licenses but convenience stores like these are free to place their alcohol sections so that children cannot avoid them? Centra has over 450 branches in Ireland and have recently become part of the huge Musgrave group. If they find this layout to be profitable they may well decide to implement it in all their stores.

To ensure a safer, cleaner living environment for our current and future generations we want a complete ban of glyphosate weedkiller. We are extremely concerned that our Agricultural sector/farmers are bombarded with misinformation and pressure from government bodies that are directly lobbied by toxic chemical companies. We are also calling on the county council to use alternative organic based methods for all weed control. We are aware of the seriousness of the invasive species 'Japanese Knotweed', but studies have concluded that the long term use of glyphosate weedkillers does not actually kill Japanese knotweed. By using organic means to kill this highly invasive species it is proven to be eradicated in the exactly the same time frame. With the projected construction of Irelands first Soil Recovery centre in the Midlands, it has been stipulated that it won't accept any plant or soil material that's contaminated with any chemicals. It makes no sense to use contractors who have no regard for anything but chemical control, which also includes chemicals such as Garlon Ultra and Speed lite Pro which do not have a base glyphosate ingredient. These weedkillers have two other active ingredients (1.) Amino Pyralide (2.) Triclopyr. These active ingredients are incredibly toxic and will leach into the soil and groundwater. They, like RoundUp, do not ever break down and our filtration systems are unable to remove these deadly chemical time bombs. These chemical-based weedkillers are highly carcinogenic and linked to a variety of potentially fatal diseases. Monsanto's Roundup weedkiller, Pathclear, Gallup, Pistol, Weedol and Mossgo are to name but a few of the weedkillers currently on the market that contain the cancer-causing chemical glyphosate which is lethal to all living organisms. Ireland has the second highest level of glyphosate in our surface water in the EU and the third highest death rate of cancer in Europe. 1. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/farmers-weapons-of-mass-destruction-carry-cancer-fears-1.3148492 2. http://greennews.ie/why-is-ireland-diluting-legislation-on-banning-hormone-changing-chemicals/ 3. https://www.euractiv.com/section/agriculture-food/news/france-tables-eu-wide-non-agricultural-pesticide-ban/