Glyphosate the main ingredient in Roundup is poisonous to humans, wildlife and the environment. According to the WHO it is 'probably carcinogenic'. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/widely-used-herbicide-linked-to-cancer/ It is being sprayed on roadsides, paths, in housing estates close to where people live. Ireland has the second highest levels of glyphosate in surface water in the EU. Page 83 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4302/epdf

Its important because it will encourage dumping. The bin system is fine. Taxes are being put on ordinary people who are already doing their best to help with the rubbish by putting them into bins already as well as recycling their products. Its not right to impose such charges. We are being forced to pay a polluters charge how dare they. Its the shops have to reduce this packaging on products sold in their shops as we are paying for it now.

There are people, human beings in Mountjoy Prison who while serving time need to do so with this minimum amount of dignity. Ireland has been chastised by the UN as far back as 1993 for this. When Ireland had more money than it knew what to do with, during the Celtic Tiger years it still didn't care enough to install toilets for these prisoners. Does anyone out there care about this? It's the modern day Magdeline Laundry or Industrial School scenario, of people bunged into a place where no one cares o considers them. It's a complete and total disgrace.

The Code’s stated purpose is to achieve fairness, impartiality and objectivity. However when it comes to discussion on Ireland’s abortion laws, it is having the effect of censoring the voices of those who have been most impacted by Ireland’s restrictive regime . The BAI specifically took issue with the Graham and Helen Linehan advocating for legislative and constitutional change that would spare other women, girls and couples the trauma of being denied access to termination of pregnancy in cases of fatal foetal anomalies, and their support for Amnesty International’s campaign on this. This was despite the Ray D’Arcy Show seeking in advance and then reading out the views of two anti-choice organisations on both the Linehans’ story and Amnesty International’s campaign. Fairness, objectivity and impartiality were thus achieved. People must be allowed tell their true, factual personal stories without being silenced from naming and calling for the very changes that could vindicate their human rights and spare other women, girls and couples unnecessary trauma. It is in the public interest that broadcasters aren’t shackled by an interpretation of 'balance' which is so extreme as to be absurd. Red C/Amnesty International Ireland polling recently showed that only 14% of people trust the media as a source of information when deciding their stance on abortion. Those they trust most are health professionals and women who have had abortions. The same polling found that 52% of the Irish public feel they do not have enough information about the 8th Amendment, and think the media should give better information on it. Now that the government has promised that a Citizens’ Assembly will consider the 8th Amendment, there has never been a more critical time for the public to have information about its actual impacts on the lives of real women and their families. It is critical that the brave voices of those whose lives have been impacted by the 8th amendment can participate in the public conversation about this issue without the fear of having to be confronted in an adversarial manner about the choices that they made in the best interests of themselves and their families, and without feeling censored by the State, through the BAI, from calling for the legal changes necessary to prevent the suffering they endured being inflicted on others.

Johns Lane West and Brú Aimsir hostels give shelter to almost 150 people who are former rough sleepers in Dublin. They are both set to close in the coming weeks. This will result in the loss of 150 beds for those sleeping rough. Focus Ireland and Peter McVerry Trust who currently run the hostels have not revealed how they plan to accommodate these people who will be forced back onto the streets with the closure of these hostels. The residents have been told they must ring the freephone in Parkgate St to find alternative accommodation. With an already critical shortage of beds, this will only put added strain on a flawed system which puts people in direct competition with each other, having to spend all day trying to get through to the freephone phoneline, often to simply be told there are no beds available. The Irish Housing Network demands: Dublin City Council, Peter McVerry Trust and Focus Ireland put a transparent plan in place with the residents of the hostels in providing suitable accommodation for those affected by the hostels’ closure. Long term social housing stock is immediately turned over for homeless people and families through the building of housing and opening and refurbishment of empty homes. Tenant’s rights for those in emergency accommodation so they cannot be evicted without notice and are protected under tenancy legislation. Rights for Travellers and Roma people in the ability to practice their culture and have well maintained and provisioned sites available throughout the country, including the restoration of traditional roadside stopping places.

Twelve percent of the population of Ireland are migrants, of whom so many have the right to vote. Migrants bring enterprise and initiative, and in order to actively participate in Irish society, migrants must be visible in all spheres of Irish life and be represented proportionally to our number in the Irish population in all decision making processes. Irish political actors have done little or nothing to reach out to immigrants during elections. Integration has dropped off the radar and from the programmes of all political parties. A diverse republic needs inclusive politics and institutions that reflect the composition of a diverse society. Government bodies and local authorities need to do much more to engage with immigrant communities. We, the Migrant-Led Coalition, are calling on all politicians and candidates to sign up to our election manifesto and pledge to represent the needs of their migrant constituents.

Since pre-industrial times, our world has warmed by a global average of almost 1 degree celsius, due primarily to greenhouse gas pollution from human activities. This has already triggered serious planetary-scale climate disruption, and is having devastating humanitarian impacts on vulnerable communities in diverse geographical regions. But we are not powerless. We can still act: both to limit the speed and ultimate severity of global climate impacts, and to brace our own society for the potentially drastic shocks ahead due to the climate disruptions we have already initiated. This will require urgent and radical societal transformation. That can only happen with the willing engagement and support of the people. We need a genuine, sustained process that allows every single citizen and community in Ireland to fully consider the range and nature of the changes we face, and to advance policies and actions that are commensurate with them. Only in this way can we hope to create the unity and solidarity that is essential to create a strong, resilent, and genuinely sustainable society. We need a Citizens' Convention for a Post-Carbon Ireland.

As Limerick City is on an estuary, it is expected that any problems caused by excess amounts of Orthophosphate entering the Shannon from households in the city will be mitigated by the tidal movements of the estuary. This is not good environmental practice and is simply fixing one problem by creating another problem. There are two solutions that can solve the problem of lead in water. One solution is to completely remove and replace all old lead piping, lead fixtures and lead fittings in the plumbing system of the house. The other solution which may also be less costly, is to add a water filter or filtration system that will remove metals like lead and other contaminants and ensure the drinking water supply is pure and safe to drink. There are also health issues with the use of this chemical not just the fact there adding it to water already effected by fluoride. The phosphate in sodium phosphate can cause calcification of your organs, the University of Maryland Medical Centre notes. Phosphate sometimes causes your soft tissue to calcify as well. When your organs and soft tissue become calcified, your ability to utilize minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc becomes impaired. These minerals are vital to the proper function of your body. Being unable to properly utilize them will lead to further problems and complications. Sodium phosphate has been associated with severe kidney damage, sometimes requiring dialysis, according to a 2009 article in PubMed Health. Kidney damage is associated with dehydration and constipation. Dizziness and decreased urination also can indicate kidney damage, but a biopsy offers more conclusive proof of kidney damage. Consuming it more frequently than once every seven days might elevate your risk of developing kidney damage, according to MedlinePlus. Sometimes sodium phosphate causes severe allergic reactions characterized by hives or skin rashes that appear all over your body, as well as itching and breathing difficulties. Allergic reactions also can cause your chest and throat to feel tight. Blood sometimes appears in your stool. Your facial area will also swell when you experience an allergic reaction. During a severe allergic reaction, your arms and legs sometimes also swell. Confusion, arrhythmia and headaches are also symptoms associated with severe allergic reactions. Seizures and potential loss of consciousness are also typical symptoms of a severe allergic reaction. And already common in our current supply I have been sending letters, Emails etc. to this company for months regarding the Orthophosphate trials in Limerick and Clare.What we want is for them to send a spokes person to Limerick for a public consultation with the residents and citizens who will be effected by this.If they are a genuine company that have any regard for its customers and if this Phosphate is 100% safe then I don't see why they are refusing. We will welcome them and organise a venue This orthophosphate is been used as an escuse not to repair our infrastructure which is on its last legs.Once that falls apart they will sell to the higest bidder and our water will be lost.Ask Berlin about that one or veolia So please help us keep the pressure on we only have weeks left as its going in without our consent in the first quarter of 2016

Parents often need to use the emergency clinic for their children. Not being able to find out where to go or to be able to get through is really frustrating.

Very few diagnosed so people with ADHD are being treated for anxiety and depression to name but a few of the symptoms not knowing what they actually have.

An ambulance person shouldn't have to wait 3 hours to get a stretcher back form a hospital and put themselves at risk at viruses and bugs. Also our elderly shouldn't be on corridors. They fought for our country to be treated like this

Cateracts can effect anyone but they mostly effect elderly people. A cloud grows over the eye making it difficult to see. It only gets worst and the only treatment is surgery. But the good news is that the 20-30min surgery is very effective and the pateints sight is returning to them only days after the procedure. The surgery is 95% successful. This surgery was routinely performed on out pateints in district hospitals in the 1960s but in recent decades fewer consultants in the public system are available to perform the procedure and so people are left on waiting lists for 5-6 years. You can avail of the cross border scheme. This involves being accessed by your GP and referred to the HSE cateract waiting list, then making arrangements with a clinic abroad that offers this surgery under the cross border scheme, book an appointment with their consultant on the day before the procedure, arranging your travel and accommodation and paying in advance the full amount, approx €2500 per eye, then actually going abroad, some require you have someone accompany you, have the surgery and get paper work completed by consultant and finally sending off same to HSE for about 90% reimbursment 9-10 weeks later. Then repeat the whole thing if you need treatment on a second eye. This is no way to treat our older people, specially when they are at their most vulnerable. By the HSE employing more eye consultants the waiting list for cateract removal can be reduced and eliminated and a local, efficient and humane service restored.