Many lives are being unnecessarily lost in Ireland every year due to the lack of proper services to cater for mental health. This gap in service provision has led to many people presenting to our psychiatric hospitals being turned away, resulting in these individuals resorting to self-harm or worse – taking their own lives. There was no psychiatric nurse available in Tullamore hospital this week. Furthermore, those waiting to access mental health services can expect a wait of between 6 and 12 months, and there are no aftercare services for people coming out of mental health services in Portlaoise. Another little-known issue that needs to be highlighted is that currently there are no “dual services”. This means that should a person present with intentions of suicide, but have taken alcohol and/or other substances, they are advised to seek addiction counselling or enter rehab before their mental health will be assessed. Many lives have been lost owing to this alone. I have emailed Minister of health the details of this issue and am awaiting a response. We the people of Offaly are calling on our representatives in the Irish government to allocate more funding to the mental health sector. As well as increased hospital-based services, we call on the government to invest additional time and money into educating the public and increasing general awareness about the importance of looking after our mental health. Such funding should also be used to alleviate staff shortages in Offaly and across the country. We in Offaly believe that mental health should be taken as seriously as physical illnesses or injuries. We also ask that our government supports volunteers on the ground who are currently giving much of their free time and energy to helping to prevent suicide in their local communities. Volunteers are not a substitute for professional services but when the two are enabled to work alongside each other, there is a better chance of helping individuals and of decreasing suicide and self-harm. Please take this petition seriously. Remember, it is possible to prevent people taking their own lives. We have the power to protect this and future generations from the devastation caused by suicide

We need to preserve the wild woodland habitat which currently links the villages of Rathcoole and Saggart. This site, by our local park, has real potential as an amenity for our communities, as a haven for wildlife and as a living example for nature education. Wild green spaces are becoming rarer in South Dublin. Spending time in nature improves our mental and physical health, and reduces stress. The woodland provides great walking trails. The trees, wildflowers and waterways within are vital habitats and food sources. They enable birds, frogs, mammals and insects like bees and butterflies to thrive. Trees absorb water, lessening local flooding. They release oxygen, improving our air quality. They store carbon, helping against climate change. Help to secure the woodland for future generations. Please visit us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Four-Disticts-Woodland-Group-458412544573936/

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DISTRESSED BORROWERS ARE CURRENTLY AFFECTED WITH A FURTHER 100,000-PLUS COMING DOWN THE TRACKS, NOW BEING DESCRIBED BY THE CENTRAL BANK AS NPE’S (NON-PERFORMING EXPOSURES)

Sruthan House, located in Dundalk Co. Louth, provides a vital respite service for people with physical and/or sensory disabilities. It is run by the HSE in partnership with the Irish Wheelchair Association. The centre provides twenty four hour respite care to both males and females aged 18 – 65 years old. Without Sruthan House their only alternatives are in Sligo, Roscommon and Dublin. This is Fine Gael's latest attempt at eroding our nation's health service and it cannot continue.

This is very important as lots of children have been alienated from their grandparents. Once these children turn 18 they are on their own. They will need full support from all extended family

Our beautiful planet has reached a dangerous toxic load of Roundup weedkiller. In 2018 over 5 billion pounds of it was spread worldwide and this will rise each year if we do not stop it. Roundup's makers, Monsanto, have been proven in numerous high profile lawsuits to have hidden the scientific proof that it does not, as they claimed in the 1970s, break down in the soil; it remains active and therefore harmful for at least ten years. Yet still we spray. The fact that is does not break down is evidenced by it being found in urine and breast milk samples, and organic honeys which are nowhere near spraying. It is, at this stage, everywhere. It has been proven to attack beneficial bacteria in all lifeforms, including humans, and is linked to numerous diseases including cancers, celiac disease, autism and gluten intolerance. It is proven to kill honeybees and other pollinators, and has been implicated in the ill health and death of dogs and other pets. The only reason it is still on the shelves is because our business-focused governments keep lobbying to keep it there. We are essentially putting the profits of corporations above the health and future of our planet. This is insanity. The only way we are going to stop the spraying is by pressuring those in the newly formed council to wake up and take action; to remind them their jobs are to serve the community's healthy and well-being, not amass wealth for an elite class. Look around your towns and countryside, and when you see Roundup sprayed speak up. Tell people that there are much healthier and cheaper alternatives. See recipes here: https://garden.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Recipe_for_Vinegar_Weed_Killer

Because it is disrespectful, depressing and completely wrong. It is not the answer and the only people who would ever have to live like this are those who can't currently afford the ridiculous rent levels. Stop pushing people out of Dublin & think about the kind of cities and communities we want - not what developers want.

As construction has yet to begin on the new school building in Millennium Park, the current campus in Craddockstown is running at full capacity, with an estimated 120 incoming 1st year students starting in August 2019 the question is where are the students going to be housed with a student population of 388 currently. Last year we were promised 6 prefabs would be in place for August 2018, they were not onsite and fit for purpose until January 2019. We are now facing the very same situation. We have had enough, its not good enough for our Children to be let down yet again, we have put our trust in the process repeatedly, it is not delivering. We are taking a stand for our Children's right to an education in a place that is not cramped and overcrowded, that they have space and freedom to move freely between classes and break times,a place there is no negative impact on students mental health and well-being. This is a Community Issue, we all need to stand together.

Under the Loco Parentis rule, parents of disabled children are restricted from leaving their own home while a respite nurse is in the home to provide in-home respite. An adult must remain in the home. This is not respite. Parents who are caring 24/7 for their medically fragile children must be able to recharge, run errands, go to medical appointments, spend time away with their other children, and much more. The siblings of the disabled children must also be able to have the most normal social life outside of the home as possible. For this to happen, parents must be able to leave the home with these siblings during in-home nursing respite hours. This rule is particularly discriminatory against lone parent carers who don't have a partner to be the adult to remain in the home as the Loco Parentis. Of all carers, lone parent carers are typically under the most amount of stress - physically and emotionally - and as such, being able to leave the home, even just once a week for 5 hours, is desperately needed. Ultimately, the best care possible for the disabled child is what is at risk if the parent carer is unable to maintain their own physical and emotional well-being. The other children in the family, and family unit as a whole, are also at risk of harmful, irreparable dysfunction if essentially trapped in their home due to such an inhumane, unjust, policy as is Loco Parentis. This rule, implemented by the HSE, is clearly a violation of human rights and the rights of children.

There is no current policy in place which promotes the mental health of women after they've had an abortion. An abortion can be a very emotional experience and can be very difficult for women who may have mental health difficulties. I believe that women should be entitled to support when accessing abortion services.

Everyone and every young professional should be able to afford a roof over their head, a house or apartment, not a shoebox room and communal dining and washing facilities. They now want to cage us as they milk us.

Every 18 hours in 2018 someone tested positive for HIV in Ireland. HIV infections reached a record high of 531 people in 2018. This could have been avoided if there was adequate resources and funding to fully implement prevention methods such as easily accessible nationwide HIV testing and a national PrEP programme. These two measures are proven to reduce infection rates. Antiretroviral Therapy is now so effective that when on treatment for HIV the virus is suppressed in a persons system so well they have a suppressed viral load. This means they cannot pass HIV to another person. Undetectable equals Untransmittable is a very important message which should be promoted and celebrated. Ireland has become a very progressive and open society in the last number of years, however HIV positive people still face unwarranted stigma. This stigma has led to poor mental health and low self esteem. The stigma that surrounds HIV is also a barrier to getting tested and seeking treatment. Education is the key to undoing years of misinformation and stigma and will help HIV positive people lead ordinary lives free from discrimination. We have the knowledge and methods to drastically reduce HIV infections, what we need now is political desire and commitment to make this a reality.