• Equal Rights For Same Sex Parents in Ireland
    ****UPDATE**** So much has happened since I launched this petition in 2019. As it stands today I am still seen as a single parent to our two daughters. Following on from lengthly legal proceedings, we hope to soon have our personal situation resolved. The intended legislation, detailed below was commenced in May 2020, and many LGBTQ+ families are now benefitting from it. However so many children of LGBTQ+ families in Ireland are suffering as a result of the governments inaction to ensure that ALL family types are protected. Those still left out of any legislation are all Gay dads, and those who conceive via non clinical methods or through clinics abroad. We won't stop fighting til every child is equal. Follow me on www.instagram.com/ranaevonmeding and I'll continue posting updates on the situation as it evolves. ***Original Post*** My wife Audrey and I have two beautiful daughters. Ava is 2 and her sister Arya is 3 months old. We did Reciprocal IVF which means we used Audrey's eggs to conceive and I carried the babies. It's also known as 'Shared Motherhood'. Audrey is their biological parent and I am their birth parent. As it currently stands, under the Irish law, because I gave birth to the girls, I am seen as their parent and Audrey is seen as a legal stranger. I am married and yet I am viewed as a single parent. We equally brought our children into the world together. We equally are raising them as a family. And yet we are not viewed as a family. If anything happened to me, it's unclear if Audrey would be 'next in line' so to speak. There is new legislation coming in later this year which will allow for some same sex couples to both be registered as parents. The only couples it will apply to are female couples who have conceived in an Irish Fertility clinic using an identifiable donor. Everyone else is left out. So those who have gone abroad, those who have used an anonymous or a known to them donor, those who have done an at home insemination and like us those who have done Reciprocal IVF. Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Health has knowingly allowed and supported legislation to come in which will split an already marginalised community into two. To put it very simply, this new law is going to cover about half of the LGBT+ community who have families. And for the other half- we won't meet the criteria to be recognised as a family. All families need to be protected. Regardless of our sex. Regardless of where and how we conceived. Whether a family was created through Adoption, Surrogacy or Fertility Treatments, they deserve protection and recognition.
    35,557 of 40,000 Signatures
    Created by Ranae von Meding
  • Teach Our Teens About Their Mental Health
    Limerick City is nationally recognised as a priority area in the mental health crisis. We know the interventions that need to be taken, and are not willing to stand by anymore and listen to empty promises from politicians. Depression is the largest cause of disability among those aged 10-24, and suicide is now one of the leading causes of death among young people in Europe. Depression is an important predisposing factor for suicide among adolescents, and this age group have high rates of suicide in Ireland. • There were 425 deaths by suicide recorded in Ireland in 2015 (latest figures) • Limerick has twice the national average rate of suicide. • Limerick City also has high rates of self-harm among adolescents. A particular period of life which can see depression emerge is adolescence. The fact that there are huge changes, both socially and mentally taking place leaves young people more vulnerable and susceptible to mental illness. Mental health issues which begin during adolescense can persist into adulthood. Over half of adults report their mental health illnesses stemming from the ages of 12-18 years. Schools are in a unique position to promote mental health and emotional well being, to provide a health promoting environment and to identify young people experiencing emotional distress. The roll out of evidence based mental health awareness programmes in Irish schools should be undertaken as a matter of priority in order to develop mental health literacy, promote positive mental health and prevent suicide in this vulnerable group (World Health Organisation) One school based intervention, Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM), which was a brief, universal mental health programme that was delivered in the classroom over a 4 week period was associated with a significantly lower number of subsequent suicide attempts and suicidal ideation. Its aim was to improve mental health literacy and coping skills of young people, to raise awareness of risk and protective factors associated with suicide and to enhance young people’s knowledge about mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. It included role-play sessions, interactive lectures and workshops SEYLE, an extensive European study recently undertaken, found that a universal school-based public health intervention, such as YAM can prevent one suicide attempt for every 167 students targetted, along with a wide range of other benefits, and recommends such a programme in every school. (WHO) In one of its leading actions, Connecting for Life Midwest, under the national strategy for suicide prevention says it aims to ‘target approaches to reduce suicidal behaviour and improve mental well being among priority groups.’ The Limerick Local Economic and community Plan 2016-2021, under the action area, Health and well-being, states that it aims to ‘Promote population health and well-being and conditions in local communities to support positive mental and physical health.’ Our young people can't wait anymore! As a start, this preventative measure must be implemented in all Limerick City schools. Thank you for signing the petition and please share.
    577 of 600 Signatures
    Created by Seónaidh Ní Shíomóin
  • Provide Abortion Services in St. Luke's Hospital Kilkenny
    Kilkenny has voted overwhelmingly for a YES vote and the people of Kilkenny and Carlow have campaigned tirelessly for years to end the shame and stigma surrounding abortion. We have ended the need for people in crisis pregnancy having to travel abroad for healthcare. St. Luke's Hospital cannot continue to export people seeking abortions to other hospitals.
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    Created by Stephanie Hanlon
  • Provide Abortion Services in Carlow
    Carlow is one of the four counties in which not one single GP has signed up to provide the abortion service to people. People in Carlow campaigned tirelessly for abortion and Carlovians voted overwhelmingly for local healthcare. We have ended the need for people having to travel abroad. Carlow cannot continue to export people seeking healthcare to other counties.
    328 of 400 Signatures
    Created by Stephanie Hanlon
  • Don't exclude trans people from our abortion laws
    The bill to legalise abortion will not include a reference to pregnant transgender people. People of any gender identity who can get pregnant deserve to be seen and represented in our laws.
    49 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Emily Duffy Picture
  • Invest €105 million Into Mental Health in 2019
    Too many people have to wait to get the vital mental health care they desperately need. While the Government continues to under invest in our services, people get sicker and even die waiting for assessment and treatment. This has to stop - our mental health is too important. Mental Health Reform have said that we need at least 105 million to get our mental health services where they need to be.
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    Created by Emily Duffy Picture
  • Ireland for Sensible Drug Policy
    Drug Policy, and the war on drugs has had children, parents, politicians and stranger murdered in broad daylight. Thanks to gang activity, I myself shake and fear at the noise of bangers going off. The entire country lives in fear of gangs, gangs fed through drug money, drug money coming from the "black market". Little do they realise that the failing drug policy, the politicians and their lobbyists are directly financing this through their stern, "moral" views on dirty drugs. It is absolutely unacceptable. I am sick & tired of burying my friends and lending their brokenhearted families a soaking shoulder to cry on because the government failed them. The governmental position on drugs, the policy set in place in the early 1970's, has absolutely failed them. Where were you when they found their bodies, that nobody heard of because the news would rather report the stash of Class A narcotics they found in a shed, behind a burnt out house and a car filled with hand guns and machetes. Where were you and where are you now? What are you going to do to change this? My name is Sandy Brun, I am a qualified Toxicologist and I hope to graduate with a Master's degree in Neuroscience & Pharmacology. You can find me on LinkedIn. I am sick and tired of burying my friends with dirty drugs in their veins, up their noses and everywhere else. I am sick and tired of being let down by this never ending agonizing political situation that is murdering my friends and breaking the hearts of their families. I've lived in Ireland since I was 10 years old, and I've buried a friend every year since I was 13. You're so proud of the 100th 1916 Easter Rising anniversary that the country celebrated 2 years ago. You're so damn proud to be Irish. You're so damn prejudicial and soft. Stand and fight. For our sons and daughters.
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    Created by Sandy Brun
  • It's Time Dublin City Council paid for Pride
    This is an important issue, because the Pride parade/march is still, as it has always been, a demonstration that aims to highlight the rights of marginalised people within the LGBTQ+ community. It is swiftly becoming enveloped in a wave of corporations pandering for business on the back of our community. Dublin City council should appreciate the value of our wonderfully diverse community, and the importance of the LGBTQ+ Pride parade to the city. As a symbol of a progressive modern Ireland, Dublin Pride is a magnet for LGBTQ+ tourism, as well as a great family day out for LGBTQ+ and Straight families alike. We would like to reduce corporate branding and sponsorship in the parade, and ask that Dublin City Council invest in this growing festival to give more control to the queer community. It is Our City, It is Our Pride. Its time we reduce corporate branding, and turn the spotlight back on the community that Pride represents.
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    Created by Jaime Nanci Barron
  • Let Gay and Bisexual men give blood in Ireland.
    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?
    311 of 400 Signatures
    Created by Jaic Ó Néill
  • Support the Sex Education Bill
    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
    783 of 800 Signatures
    Created by Adam Dudley
  • "'Shame'rock for Trump - Not in our name"
    An Taoiseach is our representative abroad. When he accepts prejudice, racism and bigotry, it shames the people of our country. We feel that such an alliance is not good for our country's reputation and undermines our relationship with other countries. Trump is a despicable human being. A point must be reached where falling at the foot of a powerful man, at the expense of our values and morals and international reputation is not acceptable! "'Shame'rock for Trump: Not in our Name"
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    Created by Concerned Citizen
  • Name the Children's Hospital after Dr Kathleen Lynn
    Dr. Lynn was an incredible woman, revolutionary and role model. She did so much to improve the lives of children in Ireland and she deserves to be recognised. Nothing would be more fitting than a Children's Hospital named in her honour.
    5,885 of 6,000 Signatures
    Created by Deirdre Mullen