This is because the Finn Valley has a growing elderly population and a reducing number of potential family carers. Also parts of the area have little access to public transport and are quite isolated i.e the border and gaeltacht areas. For over three years the People of the Finn Valley and wider Donegal area have been asking the question about what is the future of St Josephs Community Hospital in Stranorlar, Co. Donegal. The government and HSE representatives have never given a clear answer on the future of the Hospital and have even provided conflicting information. The people of the area have twice held well attended public demonstraions where they marched from the Hospital in Stranorlar to Jacksons Hotel in Ballybofey a distance of 2.6km. Many who marched were over 60 and feel abandoned by the way they are being treated. We wish to know the answer of how many and what types of beds that are planned to be serviced at the hospital. What staffing levels will be retained in future at St Josephs in terms of Doctors, Nurses, Nursing Assistants, Administration and Ancillary staff. We want to know now what Capital Budget and other Budgets will be allocated and the plans that will be transformed into buildings i.e. refurbushements, extensions etc so as to meet HIQA standards.

With the homeless figures officially exceeding the 10,000 mark, it is blatantly obvious to the public how ineffectual Minister Eoghan Murphy is. 10,000 men, women and children forced to live on the streets or in temporary shelters. Despite numerous protest marches and numerous demands from the public to deal with this EXTREMELY important issue, Minister Eoghan Murphy has time and again not dealt with this matter and despite all the promises that were made to deal with this matter effectively, the situation has gravely worsened. For the sake of all the people whose lives are at a risk on a daily basis on the streets, it is now high time for Eoghan Murphy to resign and for someone COMPETENT to take on the job.

Kildare needs more facilities for children and adults to engage in sports to promote a healthier lifestyle benefiting physical and mental health. With BMX all Ages and Abilities are Welcome: BMX isn’t just for children, Parents and children can ride bikes together, there aren’t many sports out there that parents and children can participate in together. It’s a great way for families to bond over a common interest helping to combat the raising obesity rate and reducing screen time and promoting general well being. Kildare town is constantly growing with more new housing developments but no new projects promoting sports activity have been completed, with the communities help we can change this! With the provision of a BMX bike track being built Kildare could envision provincial and national champions coming from the BMX club that would be based there. Kildare has already produced Provincial and National champions with no local facilities! Because of the involvement of adults mentoring and coaching the younger riders there is never any prospect of antisocial behavior. Building a BMX bike track will reduce any antisocial tendencies drawing the interests of the youth to ride their bikes in a safe fun place, and help role model BMX bike riding by discouraging the use of scramblers on the Curragh plains. The BMX bike track would become a bike tourism attraction drawing families to try the sport, raising revenue for the town from extra foot fall to local businesses. For more information of what is a BMX bike track click the links below https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfA3fBgA10g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXqlMh8U81M

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.

Brigid embodies the ancient triple goddess archetype: goddess of healing, fire and the Arts. Our matron Saint also represents true Christianity, renowned for her compassionate care for the poor and animals. We have been so fortunate to have our diaspora bring our heart-warming green to the rest of the world, with more and more countries constantly joining the global greening initiative, from Nairobi, to Ankara. As Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland says, “The eagerness of cities and countries everywhere to take part underlines the strength of the deep connection that people all over the world feel to Ireland.” Whilst hearts around the world are warmed by Ireland and St. Patrick in March, we believe it’s time to give some recognition and time for reflection to those in Ireland, with St. Brigid’s Day, welcoming the official start of Spring or Imbolg. To celebrate Brigid’s Day the Herstory Light Show illuminates iconic landmarks, to lift Ireland’s spirits, celebrate the return of the light and honour all who deserve to be honoured, such as the Mother & Baby Home victims & Corona heroes. Just like St. Patrick’s Day was made an international success by our cherished diaspora, the Irish abroad led the way, pre-covid, with Brigid’s celebrations, with Irish Embassies and Irish cultural centres marking the day with events honouring Irish women around the world. For reference, please see the The Irish Times article profiling St. Brigid’s Day events around the world in 2019. (https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/abroad/st-brigid-s-day-irish-women-to-be-celebrated-around-the-world-1.3777791) In truth, we have some catching up to do back home! The last time Ireland allocated a public holiday was in 1993, to honour May Day. In fact, Ireland is 2-4 days behind the rest of Europe when it comes to public holidays, currently with 9 public holidays in the year, where most European countries have 11 -13 days. https://www.thejournal.ie/bank-holidays-ireland-europe-3363195-Apr2017/. The period between December and March is acknowledged to be one of the most depressing of the calendar year, with Christmas passed, celebrations over, still in the shortened daylight hours. With increased pressure on our emotional wellbeing, we believe the 1st February is a perfect day to celebrate, marking Brigid’s Day as the day to welcome the Spring and return of the Light. In keeping with spreading the Irish spirit around the world, it must be noted that Irish missionaries and migrants also carried Brigid’s name and spirit across the world. Pilgrims and visitors come to Kildare from all over the world seeking to walk in Brigid’s footsteps. Brigid’s legacy has endured. Her life still speaks to us in the 21st century. Her values and associations are inextricably reflected in who we are as a people. From the Brigidine Sisters in Kildare: Woman of the Land - Her feast day on the 1st February marks the first day of Spring in the northern hemisphere. It is the season when we celebrate new life on earth. Many today draw inspiration from the respect which Brigid and our ancestors had for all creation. Friend of the Poor - Brigid had an extraordinary concern and compassion for the poor people of her time. Her legends challenge us share the goods of the earth with our brothers and sisters especially those who live in desperate poverty. Woman of Hospitality - Brigid’s spirit of hospitality is legendary. For Brigid, every guest is Christ. A Peacemaker - Feuds between clans were commonplace in Brigid’s day. She is often referred to as a peacemaker who intervened in disputes between rival factions and brought healing and reconciliation. She challenges us to be peacemakers and peacekeepers. Model of Equality - Brigid held a unique position in the early Irish church. Scholars tell us that she presided over the local church of Kildare and was head of a double monastery for men and women. She challenges both men and women today to create a society where men and women are equally respected. Wells - "St. Brigid has many wells dedicated to her around Ireland, as a reflection of her importance to early Christianity and pre-Christianity. St. Brigid assumed the persona of the pagan goddess Bríd, or Brigid - a Celtic Goddess of inspiration, healing, and smith-craft with associations to fire, the hearth and poetry." What a role model to live by in today’s increasingly disconnected world. Minister Varadkar, we the Irish People ask you now to honour Brigid, who bridges divides and who has been our guiding light for thousands of years. We feel that the time to implement this holiday is 2022 - an ideal time to introduce this new holiday to the nation as a beacon of hope and light in these challenging times. We reflect on the vision of the founders of our nation and the historic 1916 Declaration of Independence, which made Ireland the first country in the world to promise equal rights to men, women and children. A century later, we have made great strides towards realising the 1916 vision. Although there is much work ahead, the vision that was once perceived as visionary is now realistic. The evidence is in this decade’s extraordinary victories of compassion and equality: the Marriage Equality Referendum and the Referendum to Repeal the 8th Amendment. The time has come to write a new story of unity and equality, by celebrating Ireland’s matron Saint Brigid equally to St. Patrick. Making Brigid’s Day a national holiday would be a true reflection on today’s Ireland, sending a strong egalitarian message to the world. Yours sincerely, Melanie Lynch, Treacy O'Connor, Laura Murphy & Lorna Evers Monaghan On behalf of the Irish People, Spring Equinox 2021

At a time when other countries are progressively acting to restrict the harmful effects of slot machines, we believe the adoption of this act would be a regressive step, increasing the potential for gambling addiction in Donegal. In short, this is a short-sighted money grab by a handful of business people at the expense of the wider Inishowen and Letterkenny communities. Gambling addiction is the most hidden and corrosive addiction and also the hardest to treat. Counsellors from White Oaks and Gamblers Anonymous who are at the coal face of this issue have spoken out, urging councillors to refrain from adopting this motion. It is shocking that councillors would consider adopting this act without hearing from them. At a minimum, they should have equal time to present their expertise and concerns to the Inishowen and Letterkenny Municipal Councils. The business people operating these gaming establishments HAVE been asked to address the Municipal District Councils and have lobbied them to legalise these casinos. They claim 129 jobs are at risk in Inishowen following Revenue seizing slot machines because their establishments were not compliant with the current laws. Let’s be clear here, this is a red herring. These gaming establishments currently operate as private members’ clubs which allows them to bypass the current laws, but those laws do restrict the size of the payouts these machines can make. These establishments are already very lucrative for the owners, but this attempt to allow them to increase the size of the payouts is an attempt to make them even more so. Allowing these establishments to increase the size of the payouts will give them leave to prey on the most vulnerable, with increased payouts acting as a lure to draw more & more people into further debt. Slot machine play is one of the most harmful forms of gambling in the world. Much of the focus around gambling problems is aimed at the individual gambler, but it is also important to look at ways that the games themselves contribute to gambling problems. High speed of play and features that promote false beliefs comprise some of the more problematic elements associated with slot machines. Slot machine players may find it helpful to be aware of those features that may make slot machine play more risky. Irish people lose more money per head on gambling than anywhere else in Europe, with an estimated 40,000 Irish people already in the grip of this addiction. Slot machines are huge revenue generators, and many of their features are designed to keep players in their seats in order to maximise revenue for the operator. Some of the machines’ features, however, may lead people to believe they have a better chance of winning than they actually do. Most players don’t realise that the reels on slot machines are weighted so that low-paying symbols come up much more often than jackpot symbols. Unbalanced reels are created when one reel contains fewer jackpot symbols than the other reels. This makes it more likely that players will see two jackpot symbols but less likely they will see three. This creates a type of ‘near miss. When players watch the reels spinning, it looks as if all symbols have an equal chance of coming up, but this is not the case. Players would have no way of knowing that one of the reels is lacking in jackpot symbols and could believe they have a better chance of winning than they really do. Slot machines are quite simply an operation in deceit. We urge councillors not to bow to the pressure of a handful of business people at the expense of the many. Listen to the experts and ask addiction counsellors dealing with the victims of this predatory business to have equal time to give their presentations and act in the interests of the health and wellbeing of the residents of Inishowen and Letterkenny. Sinéad Stewart, Inishowen Cathal Mac Fhloinn, Letterkenny

The community of Stillorgan have been ignored for far too long. This pool is a vital part of our community. It is important for... OUR Physical and Mental Health The health and safety and activity of our Children Teens and Adults Swimming Lessons for our local school children Teaching our Adults how to SWIM Teaching the Swimmers how to SAVE LIVES Training Olympic and Special Olympic Swimmers, Training our Championship Swimmers and world record holders. Our Deep water and Scuba Divers. Our Water Polo teams Our Fitness and Rehabilitation Non Impact exercise for those unable for high impact exercise. Long distance lane swimming. Aqua Aerobics Swimming for fitness and pleasure. Local community social gatherings Local Jobs and so much more Glenalbyn was more than just a fun space to splash about in. It provided VITAL services for our community and beyond. With the closure of the LeisurePlex complex Stillorgan has now very limited fitness or leisure facilities for young people. Glenalbyn club itself prides itself on encouraging biking to the club and leaving the car at home... so the argument for the pool infringing on limited car parking spaces it nonsensical. Ignoring the wishes of the Stillorgan has gone on for far too long. All our elected council representatives voted on MONDAY THE 11TH OF FEBRUARY 2019 to keep ring-fenced funding and put motions forward calling to rebuild our facility urgently and yet still no progress has been made despite the many promises made to the community. We are calling on DLRCOCO and all other stakeholders to honour their commitments to the people of Stillorgan and beyond, who they serve, and reinstate the funds and begin the redevelopment of our pool immediately. The community also deserve answers on progress surrounding our pool. We have ALL waited long enough.

People from the West and South Offaly area have to travel 45 minutes to Tullamore for access to a doctor outside of office hours. The MIDOC service offered out of hours doctors in Birr up to last year, when the service was suddenly withdrawn without warning or explanation.

St Mary's & St Gerard's NS Enniskerry is a small school serving 220 students. The closest suitable secondary schools to St Mary's & St Gerard's NS are Presentation College, Bray; Loreto Secondary School, Bray; Woodbrook College, Bray; and St Gerard's School. Success in obtaining a place in 1st Year in a local secondary school is proving most difficult for some students. This issue arises due to the following: (i) For some secondary schools St Mary's & St Gerard's students are not allocated a place due to that secondary school favouring other national schools as feeder schools (ii) For other secondary schools St Mary's & St Gerard's students are not allocated a place due to the secondary schools operating a lottery system with some St Mary's & St Gerard's students being allocated a place too far down the waiting list. It is our belief that the right of our children to appropriate local secondary school education is being compromised due to the fact that St Mary's & St Gerard's is not a designated feeder school. Please sign this Petition to notify the school’s Board of Management and the Department of Education about our concerns.

Nurses are currently experiencing terrible pay and working conditions. There are not enough nurses employed by the HSE - nurses employed are being overworked to deal with the government-induced healthcare crisis. The result of this is seen in the overcrowding, patients on trolleys and lengthly waiting lists. We cannot take our nurses for granted and we stand with nurses strike action in Kilkenny!

There are other compelling reasons for Parks Department of Fingal Council to develop this space for recreation use. They are: - provide green space for Balbriggan ETNS school, Foroige and afterschool - space for young people to hang out, instead of within the nearby estates - a minipitch/ multi use games area would nicely complete this space - minipitch/ games area would provide an asset to Fingal Council's Balbriggan Sports Hub, which is based at Flemington Community Centre - many estates in the surrounding area do not have green spaces within, so this space could be put to good use in day time and evening time hours Please sign and share with your friends and neighbours!

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.