**Reasons for Our Opposition:**  1. **Safety Concerns:** Increasing the speed limit poses a significant risk to pedestrians, especially children and elderly residents who frequently use this area. The current speed limit is vital for ensuring their safety as they navigate through our village.  2. **Community Well-Being:** Oulart is a close-knit community where residents and visitors alike walk, cycle, and interact regularly. A higher speed limit would create a more dangerous environment, discouraging outdoor activities and reducing the quality of life in our village.  3. **Traffic Accidents:** Historical data shows that higher speeds lead to more severe accidents. Maintaining the current speed limit will help protect all road users and reduce the likelihood of collisions.  4. **Environmental Impact:** Higher speeds contribute to increased emissions and noise pollution, which can negatively affect our community’s health and environment. Keeping the speed limit lower supports our goals of promoting sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint.  5. **Support for Local Businesses:** A safer environment encourages more foot traffic in Oulart, which benefits local businesses. We believe that maintaining the current speed limit will support economic growth while prioritizing safety.  For these reasons, we urge decision-makers to reconsider any proposals to increase the speed limit at this junction.

There was a pedestrian crossing for years beside a busy bus stop, right at the door of Centra and it was an extremely helpful safety feature. It’s been replaced with just a painted stop line—no signage, and no proper protection for pedestrians and no warning for drivers. The Council don’t have any plans to add  signage either.  Despite concerns already raised, Wicklow County Council has confirmed it will not be reinstated, advising instead that the public simple needs to “be alert” when crossing. This is not good enough. We need safe infrastructure, not vague advice. Local TD Jennifer Whitmore has supported contact with the Council, but they need to hear from more of us. Cars, vans, and delivery trucks drive straight over the line without stopping until they reach the main road. This is a serious risk to public safety.

Kildare county currently has no facilities for musicians and dancers to develop their works. We would like to see free or affordable hourly rents for small dedicated rehearsal rooms (especially soundproof rooms and sprung floors). As a last resort, we believe that some spaces currently given over to visual artists (and nobody else) should be repurposed for different types of artists who need it more.

The community wants to save the beachfront, they believe the Council and  political representatives are not listening. ‘Our Village, Our Voice, Our Choice ‘

We have been informed that both Buncrana and Letterkenny Fire Services are facing a drastic reduction in resources. This includes the removal of our second fire engine, a significant cut in crew numbers, and, in the case of Letterkenny, the loss of the vital water tanker and incident command vehicle. These resources are essential for effectively responding to emergencies and ensuring the safety of both the public and our firefighters. The decision to implement these cuts has been presented to us as a fait accompli, with management stating that the changes will proceed regardless of our concerns. We were told, "if you don't like it, take us to court." This dictatorial approach is deeply disrespectful and undermines the vital role we play in protecting our community. We are particularly troubled by the justification given for these cuts. We are being told that these reductions are a consequence of firefighters seeking a better work-life balance. While we firmly believe in the importance of work-life balance for all workers, including firefighters, we refuse to accept that the safety of our community should be compromised as a result. It is unconscionable to punish firefighters for seeking reasonable working conditions, and, more importantly, to punish the public by diminishing the emergency services they rely upon. These cuts will have a devastating impact. Fewer firefighters and fewer resources mean slower response times, increased risk to both firefighters and the public, and a diminished ability to effectively handle complex emergencies. The loss of the water tanker in Letterkenny, for example, will severely hamper our ability to fight fires, especially in areas with limited water supply.

The importance of this is simply for the safety of lives in our area. The basis of any decision of this nature surely has to rely upon that. The only figures that should matter in this instance is really in relation to the geography of this area. The distance between the areas that this station covers has not changed dramatically, nor have road networks that connect them. The criteria to be a member of the fire brigade includes a requirement for fire fighter to live close to the stations, which facilitates quick response times. The proposed decision is at odds with this rationale. Locating a station further from a potential fire immediately increases the response times, and will ultimately favour those living in more densely populated areas. Every life has equal value, and it is paramount that the County Council acknowledges this, and recognises the major risk that they are creating with this decision.

We call on you to sign this petition to ensure that Denis Lacey Hall remains in public hands; over the years, the building housed many dance, music and social clubs and was a thriving community hub for fifty years until its recent demise. We believe the building could be brought back to its former splendour and become a much-needed thriving community centre and circular economy hub for many years to come.

The people of Beara are at a disadvantage for work, for education, for basic services and for accessing amenities / social events. Young people and elderly people rely heavily on public transport and thus are at a particular disadvantage.  Tourists using public transport are unable to visit this area, and those visiting here have no public transport options to avail of local restaurants or bars.   We also want to have the option to leave the car at home and to play our part in reducing carbon emissions.  Recent experience shows that when public transport is provided, people use it. The National Transport Authority has reported a five-fold increase in the use of public transport in rural areas since it was increased. When they are given a reliable and affordable alternative to the car, they’ll take it. So please add your name to this petition and help us campaign for change.  (Image courtesy of Lauragh Community Council)

Community First Responders (CFRs) and other emergency volunteers are vital components of our emergency response system. These are trained volunteers who often arrive on the scene before ambulances or other official emergency services, providing life-saving interventions in critical situations. However, the current road traffic legislation does not grant them the same exemptions that official emergency vehicles enjoy, such as being able to park without fear of penalties during emergencies. Time is of the essence in emergency situations—delays caused by parking restrictions or concerns about fines can have life-threatening consequences. Without proper legislative support, CFRs are forced to navigate unnecessary obstacles that can prevent them from saving lives. It’s crucial that they have the same protections and privileges as other emergency services to ensure they can perform their duties quickly and efficiently. Why Should Other People Join This Campaign? This campaign is about more than just parking passes—it’s about supporting the people who are there for us when we need them the most. CFRs are volunteers who give their time and skills to save lives in our communities. Ensuring they have the legal support they need means that when the worst happens, help can arrive without delay. By joining this campaign, you are standing up for: 1. Safer Communities – By removing barriers that prevent quick emergency response, we increase the chances of saving lives. 2. Supporting Volunteers – CFRs and other emergency volunteers give their time selflessly. It’s only fair that we give them the legal protections they need to perform their roles effectively. 3. A Stronger Emergency Response System – Including CFRs in national legislation alongside official emergency services creates a more robust, reliable response to emergencies in every community. This issue affects everyone because emergencies can happen to any of us, at any time. By joining this campaign, we can push for a simple, yet powerful change that ensures CFRs and emergency volunteers are recognised and supported by the law. This is a step toward building safer and more responsive communities across Ireland.

Many people in society have difficulties navigating often long and pointless automated systems when they are trying to get help in relation to essential services. The private companies, providing these public services have completely stripped back their customer care teams and have implemented difficult to navigate systems. Often times the systems are set up to discourage customers from reaching a human representative in order to keep their cost low and profits high.  For some of us this is a mere inconvenience and we are either tech savvy enough to figure out how to resolve our issue online, or we stick it out and speak to a human representative. However for many these systems often stops people from getting the help they need.  This is an issue that has a bigger impact on older members of society, often used to being able to go to a local branch to sort out an issue, are now faced with complicated systems that stop them from getting the assistance they need.  Any company that is providing a public service, should have accessible help lines for those who need them. 

The new ban on electric scooters on public transport is planned to be implemented in October, and will negatively affect thousands of commuters that rely heavily on these alternative modes of transportation for part of their journeys to and from Work.   A large number of commuters rely on Electric scooters to get to and from the train, bus, and other forms of public transport, on both sides of their journey. This means that they can leave the car at home and not contribute to private vehicle congestion in already congested areas.    Despite being considered an environmentally friendly and efficient commuting option, electric scooters will be banned on Public transport under new rules. The reason provided was that the lithium-ion batteries used by many electric scooters pose a fire hazard on board.   The lack of real consideration for commuters by the NTA will seriously limit mobility freedom for many citizens in suburban towns. This move also sends a negative message for people looking to move to more environmentally friendly transportation alternatives.   We urge the NTA to revisit this ban, and re-examine the risks associated with electric scooters on board, and implement any necessary mitigating controls on board rather than outright prohibition.   Your signature can promote the reconsideration of this ban. We ask you to support us for greener and more inclusive transportation alternatives. Please sign the petition.  

We urge decision-makers to reconsider this project and look for sustainable alternatives to meet energy needs while protecting the livelihoods, health, and wellbeing of people in East Galway.  Please sign this petition and support our urgent cause.