Endometriosis affects 200 million people worldwide and yet there's only 200 specialists globally to perform effective excision surgery. Every single day patients are suffering debilitating chronic pain, extreme fatigue and a variety of horrific symptoms which leaves us with zero quality of life. Our economy suffers because we are unable to work. In the UK endometriosis costs the economy £8.2bn a year in treatment, loss of work and healthcare costs. A note from the organiser below. A chara, We invite you to join us for the Irish EndoMarch 2023 on Sunday 26th March. This event is part of the global EndoMarch movement, aimed at raising awareness about endometriosis, its associated issues, and creating a supportive community for those affected. Endometriosis has a significant impact on the lives of women in Ireland, and more needs to be done to improve diagnosis, treatment, and support for those affected by the condition. A dedicated multidisciplinary centre is required to improve care for those living with endometriosis in Ireland. Improved Diagnosis: A multidisciplinary centre would assemble an expert group from diverse backgrounds, encompassing gynaecologists, radiologists, pain management specialists, pelvic physiotherapists, and surgeons. This collaboration would result in a precise identification of endometriosis, leading to a prompt and accurate diagnosis for patients and reducing the requirement for multiple surgeries and procedures. In Ireland, the delay to diagnosis is an average of 9 years. Coordinated Care: A multidisciplinary centre would allow for seamless coordination of care, with all members of the team working together to develop and implement a comprehensive treatment plan. This would minimise the current issues faced by those with endometriosis and reduce the risk of miscommunication, ensuring that patients receive the best possible care. At present, women are left to source individual care providers with no standardised model of care. Access to Expertise: A multidisciplinary centre would bring together a team of specialists with a wealth of experience and expertise in endometriosis. Patients would have access to the latest treatments and technologies, as well as the expertise of specialists who are up-to-date on the latest research and developments in the field. It would also allow for Irish research teams to recruit participants and generate new research potential. Improved Quality of Life: A multidisciplinary centre would provide a comprehensive approach to care, including pain management and support for emotional and psychological well-being. This would help to improve the quality of life for patients with endometriosis, reducing the impact of the condition on their daily lives. It would reduce the delay to diagnosis, reduce the need for women to travel outside of Ireland for treatment and improve not only the health outcomes, but also the fertility outcomes of those availing of the services. It is imperative for both the medical community and society as a whole to give endometriosis the attention it deserves. It is crucial to listen to the experiences of individuals living with endometriosis in Ireland and to have faith in women's accounts. Whether you have personal experience with endometriosis or simply want to support the cause, this event is open to everyone who is passionate about improving endometriosis health and awareness outcomes. To register for the event and for more information, please visit the EndoMarch 2023 event page on Eventbrite: https://EndoMarch2023.eventbrite.ie We hope to see you there to join us in the campaign to raise awareness about endometriosis. Sincerely, Kathleen King Team Ireland EndoMarch 2023

Another 7 wind turbines are proposed to be built on a mountain above Glencar in Leitrim, which already has been exploited by the wind industry more than any other Irish county. These turbines would carry the name "Charafenna wind farm" and would expand and connect with the pre-existing Carrickeeney windfarm, as well as the additional and current proposal for another 18 machines on Dough Mountain to the East. It would require excavations to create a cable connection across 9 Kilometres of farmland to the electrical substation at Manorhamilton, a significant widening of the high mountain road, the addition of a new circular industrial service road on the top of the mountain, plus 7 additional buildings (one for each turbine). Each machine would be at least 150m tall and very visible from the head of the Glencar Lake Valley and the world famous Devil’s Chimney waterfall. They would overshadow a great many residential homes in close proximity as well as their turbary rights on the mountain above, producing severe noise pollution and shadow flicker, devaluation of property and a loss of local jobs in tourism and other fields. —— From this elevation there are magnificent views across the Glencar and Glenade valleys as well as an astounding vista right across Donegal bay to the distant mountains above Killybegs. Home to hen harriers, barn owls, golden eagles, sparrowhawks, buzzards, kites, grouse, red squirrels, pine martens, hares, bats, foxes, badgers and bees - This is quite simply one of the most pristine places in Leitrim and indeed Ireland. —— And whilst of course the world is in dire need of better solutions to our energy issues, it is easy to understand that this old technology cannot possibly be the best solution. - Firstly we need widespread education to encourage every household to wake up and cut their own energy usage…there are a myriad of simple ways to do this. - For energy generation we need to be investing in far more progressive thinking than we currently do - this could perhaps include offshore windfarms instead (although not good for marine life), wave power generation, solar collection and other far less obtrusive and destructive technologies. - Wind turbines have a life expectancy of approximately 20 years and are not biodegradeable or recyclable. They end up in landfill. - They create a significant loss of biodiversity - in this case, affecting a rich and specific local fauna which includes rare and protected species. —— When making decisions which directly affect the community, our ancestors traditionally considered the impact upon at least 7 future generations. Would that we in Ireland were still this wise and forward thinking… What will our children and grandchildren say about us when they realise that we selfishly made irreversible, ignorant decisions which altered and destroyed the mountains and inhabitants of these very special places? These lands were beloved of W.B.Yeats, our great poet and thinker, who would surely be turning in his grave to see Glencar progressively overshadowed by major industry? —— In recent years Leitrim County Council has had a history of leniency in its responses to such applications, a stance which now needs to be scrutinised and reevaluated to be in line with the future, not the past. It is time that our authorities cease to think in purely monetary terms, ticking boxes to benefit themselves and their industral partners, but instead to begin to lead with impeccability and forward thinking so as to leave behind a legacy from which everyone in Ireland may benefit. Please add your voice and your intent to this petition, so that together we may share and cherish this precious land for many more centuries to come, and wisely show the way into the future for new generations who may better care for it as well as for one another…

Children in Mother and Baby home were used for vaccine trial experiments without their parents’ or guardians’ consent, or even without their knowledge. GSK experimented with at least 13 vaccines and 2 milk formula trials, denying any harm. However, reports like Murphy's - Trial G states that “a significant number of adverse reactions were reported among children involved”, they also got “infantile spasms” after vaccinations. GSK needs to take the responsibility for all harm done to children and their parents from Baby and Mother Homes. GSK used the most vulnerable children. They targeted defenseless mothers. GSK recruited children with Down syndrome, deformity, heart diseases. They described one of the mothers as “mentally handicapped”. All that is seen as an excuse. All of those children were used without the consent. GSK is a pharmaceutical giant with worldwide sales of £29.3 billion (€33 billion) in 2022. They need to pay for the justice. If we put GSK CEO in the spotlight and boycott their products, we can show Emma Walmsley that we won't support a pharmaceutical behemoth that is refusing to pay what they are own to Mother and Baby Homes. [1] https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2023/02/27/gsk-repeatedly-rejected-ministers-efforts-to-get-it-to-pay-reparations-over-vaccine-trials/

Ever since Judge Yvonne Murphy published the final report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother & Baby Homes in January 2021, GSK has been refusing to contribute to the State’s €800 million redress scheme for survivors, despite two of its companies having commissioned unlicensed vaccine trials on child residents that contravened the ethical and regulatory standards of the time. The trials for Glaxo Laboratories and Wellcome, which were subsequently acquired by the corporation now known as GSK, were conducted on some of Ireland’s most vulnerable little children without their parents’ or guardians’ consent, or even their knowledge. GSK Plc is a pharmaceutical behemoth that rang up worldwide sales of £29.3 billion (€33 billion) in 2022.

According to Cancer Focus NI, 83 women in Northern Ireland a year are diagnosed with cervical cancer and often there are few symptoms. Northern Ireland should be on a path to eradicating cervical cancer, and improved, more reliable testing is a vital part of that.

Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK where an opt-out system is not yet in place. It's wrong that people and children's lives are at risk because of the DUP boycott at Stormont. The Secretary of State must use his powers to put this law in place now.

Because until members of Dail Eireann are insulated from the horrors of the public health service there will be no impetus to tackle a problem that has existed for many years well before the arrival of COVID and computer glitches. This problem existed when the country was awash with money.

Our hospitals are more overcrowded than ever before. There are almost 1,000 patients without beds in Irish hospitals today as the trolley crisis hits a new record high. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) said this is the largest number of patients left without a hospital bed since the union started counting trolley figures in 2006. Hospitals are now dangerously overcrowded. The Irish Nurses’ and Midwives’ Organisation (INMO) has advised the worst-hit hospitals to enact emergency protocols. In 2020, in anticipation of possible surges in hospitals, the Irish government reached an agreement with private hospitals to access their capacity for three months to alleviate pressure on the public system, as part of its comprehensive response to the pandemic. The overcrowing situation in Irish hospitals is now critical and so we're asking the government to respond to this crisis in the same way they did the Covid-19 crisis when they reached agreements with private hospitals to ease capacity in public hospitals. Allowing public patients to use private hospitals is the fastest way to alleviate the current dangers facing patients and staff in overcrowded public hospitals.

There is nothing more important to us as a nation than to care for, nurture, protect and preserve the health and well-being of our children and grandchildren. A very close second is the need to protect and preserve our natural environment for those generations that follow us, who will depend upon it. A recent submission to the Citizens Assembly examining Bio-Diversity Loss in Ireland confirmed that our natural freshwaters are being deliberately, unlawfully polluted by 5000 defective (leaking) slurry/effluent storage tanks that were built on NI farms, thousands of which were built in the border counties of Derry, Tyrone, Fermanagh and Armagh. * Updated to: https://citizensassembly.ie/wp-content/uploads/396_Redacted.pdf The toxic contents leaking from those defective tanks pollute/poison local streams rivers and lakes that flow across the 310mile border and pollute/poison the freshwaters in the border counties of Donegal, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan, Louth and the counties beyond them, killing the marine life and flora and fauna that exist in those freshwaters and causing/contributing to the pollution recorded by the EPA in their reports. RTE reported the EPA Studies that confirm the levels of pollution in our natural freshwaters. https://www.rte.ie/news/environment/2022/1014/1329164-epa-water-quality/ https://www.rte.ie/news/2022/1020/1330259-epa-sewage-report/ Those streams, rivers and lakes are the source of the water that we all use/drink every day. Think of this when you pour your next cup of tea/coffee or hand your child a glass of tap-water to drink. *Update: On 26-01-23 the European Commission referred Ireland to the European Court over its failures to protect its freshwaters from pollution and maintain acceptable standards of drinking water.* Please sign this petition and forward it to your elected representative and please also share it with your friends and family and ask them to do the same.

Every empty house is a family made homeless. While hundreds of people have died on the streets, the government left €700 million of the housing budget unspent. There is an all-time high of 11,397 people in emergency accommodation, 3,480 are children. Vacant council homes have been left to rot. There are nearly 4,500 empty council homes across the country. We demand that all city and county councils renovate these homes and house those in need immediately.

Children between 0-18 years of age have a legally protected ‘right to play’. By changing the zoning from community/playground to housing - on November 1st 2022, the full council violated the public sector duty and breached children’s right to play, beside Inchicore sports centre. The zoning vote on November 1st 2022 was the culmination of the downgrading of the pitches by Dublin City Council. The pitches were declared 'unsafe' by an inspector from Dublin City Council and then they were locked, and new security company signs erected. New sirens had been installed and went off warning children to leave the pitch when they played there. The children had to cut a hole in the fence and break into the pitch to be able to play there. The children and their parents ignore these sirens and messages from the loud speaker. The council are actively driving people away from using the pitch. Decalaring the pitch a 'health hazard' is unacceptable and currently children have to trespass to access the basket ball/football playing pitches. Local people deserve better and will not stand for removal of sports facilities.

The traffic issues around our school with HGV usage have been exacerbated by Brexit and now pose life-threatening risks to the children of Kilrane National School everyday and to the residents of the Kilrane area. In summary; Kilrane has been subjected to years of bad planning practices, Brexit has now made these HGV traffic issues around our school far far worse. The safety issues around our national school are now at a life-threatening stage since the implementation of Brexit. And it is our fear that it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured at the school. The long-term future of Kilrane and Rosslare Harbour as a livable residential areas is in danger, as well as the future of our very valuable tourist industry which is based around the affected area. We wish for the businesses involved to stay in the Kilrane/Rosslare Harbour area as we have no issue with the businesses involved, just with their current proposed locations. So we call on Wexford County Council to honour their promises to solve our traffic issues and to honour their statutory obligations to the residents, especially our children, and reject the planning permission application for a new haulage depot in Kilrane Business Park. The granting of such would be catastrophic for our children. Our detailed objection letter will be ready shortly and we will make it public. Please sign this petition by the 2nd of November 2022.