Thousands of people are being forced into factory-like accomodation with camp beds in halls, insecure hostels and cramped institutions, while some are even pitching tents or sleeping on the streets. Meanwhile thousands of homes lie empty across the Island - some have been built by toxic vulture funds and are owned by banks and businesses waiting on the prices to rise to turn a quick buck. Others are lying in disrepair with little intention to be used again. Many Airbnb’s and tourist lets are used only for a few weeks of the year.

Thousands of people are being forced into factory-like accomodation with camp beds in halls, insecure hostels and cramped institutions, while some are even pitching tents or sleeping on the streets. Meanwhile thousands of homes lie empty across the Island - some have been built by toxic vulture funds and are owned by banks and businesses waiting on the prices to rise to turn a quick buck. Others are lying in disrepair with little intention to be used again. Many Airbnb’s and tourist lets are used only for a few weeks of the year.

Thousands of people are being forced into factory-like accomodation with camp beds in halls, insecure hostels and cramped institutions, while some are even pitching tents or sleeping on the streets. Meanwhile thousands of homes lie empty across the Island - some have been built by toxic vulture funds and are owned by banks and businesses waiting on the prices to rise to turn a quick buck. Others are lying in disrepair with little intention to be used again. Many Airbnb’s and tourist lets are used only for a few weeks of the year.

Thousands of people are being forced into factory-like accomodation with camp beds in halls, insecure hostels and cramped institutions, while some are even pitching tents or sleeping on the streets. Meanwhile thousands of homes lie empty across the Island - some have been built by toxic vulture funds and are owned by banks and businesses waiting on the prices to rise to turn a quick buck. Others are lying in disrepair with little intention to be used again. Many Airbnb’s and tourist lets are used only for a few weeks of the year.

Thousands of people are being forced into factory-like accomodation with camp beds in halls, insecure hostels and cramped institutions, while some are even pitching tents or sleeping on the streets. Meanwhile thousands of homes lie empty across the Island - some have been built by toxic vulture funds and are owned by banks and businesses waiting on the prices to rise to turn a quick buck. Others are lying in disrepair with little intention to be used again. Many Airbnb’s and tourist lets are used only for a few weeks of the year.

Thousands of people are being forced into factory-like accomodation with camp beds in halls, insecure hostels and cramped institutions, while some are even pitching tents or sleeping on the streets. Meanwhile thousands of homes lie empty across the Island - some have been built by toxic vulture funds and are owned by banks and businesses waiting on the prices to rise to turn a quick buck. Others are lying in disrepair with little intention to be used again. Many Airbnb’s and tourist lets are used only for a few weeks of the year.

Thousands of people are being forced into factory-like accomodation with camp beds in halls, insecure hostels and cramped institutions, while some are even pitching tents or sleeping on the streets. Meanwhile thousands of homes lie empty across the Island - some have been built by toxic vulture funds and are owned by banks and businesses waiting on the prices to rise to turn a quick buck. Others are lying in disrepair with little intention to be used again. Many Airbnb’s and tourist lets are used only for a few weeks of the year.

Thousands of people are being forced into factory-like accomodation with camp beds in halls, insecure hostels and cramped institutions, while some are even pitching tents or sleeping on the streets. Meanwhile thousands of homes lie empty across the Island - some have been built by toxic vulture funds and are owned by banks and businesses waiting on the prices to rise to turn a quick buck. Others are lying in disrepair with little intention to be used again. Many Airbnb’s and tourist lets are used only for a few weeks of the year.

Unregulated private consultants or 'experts' are routinely used in the Family Law Courts to determine if children should be forced to be 'reconciled' with a parent (usually a father) without any consideration of the children's wishes or reports of evidence of abuse and violence in the home.  Because of the 'in camera' rule there is no exposure of this widespread practice, no data, no oversight or accountability and if women and children speak about what is happening they can be criminalised for breaking the 'in camera' rule.  Very recently a woman's young children were taken without warning from their school in the company of Gardai. They were removed from the care of their mother and the only home they have ever known and forced to live in their father’s house. They are not allowed to see or speak to their mother.  The children have told their teachers, doctor and the social workers what they want and why but the court won’t listen and says they can’t have a voice - on the recommendation of a so called unregulated 'family expert witness'. The 2015 Child and Family Relationship Act says that all children have a right to be heard in matters concerning their lives and should be involved in decisions made about them. The children’s father has continued to exert power and control through post-separation abuse. The greatest way to hurt her is by taking the children away from her, aided by unregulated experts in the family law courts who are silencing victims of domestic violence and their children. We hear from many mothers who are victims of domestic and sexual violence, that in the family courts, when it comes to guardianship, custody and access hearings, domestic abuse survivors are not being heard or prioritised. Many of the reports are very similar to the story outlined above.  The reasons offered for these forced separation/reconciliation decisions by 'family court experts' are unreliable. Their arguments draw on concepts that are unscientific and discredited ie. parental alienation.  To stop this 'in plain sight' abuse of children and women who are survivors of violence - scrutiny of the decisions being made in Family Law Courts is urgently needed. Unregulated experts have to be investigated and their decisions published and reviewed. Mandatory training and education, accreditation and accountability for all professionals is desperately needed for all professionals working in the Family Courts. There must be independent monitoring and oversight.  Children should have the right to live free from fear. Our children should never be subjected to forced removal from their home and family and silenced by so called unregulated 'experts'. Children’s views, voice and wishes, their feelings and human rights should be paramount in all decisions by the court regarding contact arrangements.

Around 100 residents in the Shannon Arms on Henry Street are currently facing mass evictions from several landlords, most notably, Supermacs owner and multimillionaire, Mr. Pat McDonagh. Some of the other landlords have a history of mass evictions from the properties they control. Tenants have come together as part of CATU Ireland (www.catuireland.org) to resist these evictions. Some evictions have already occurred at the Shannon Arms complex, with further evictions taking place at the end of May - let's show Pat McDonagh that the public support the tenants by signing this petition! Though these evictions have been raised in the Dáil, and with other relevant bodies including the local council, there has been no tangible intervention to help the tenants, some of whom are young families and people with disabilities. The looming threat of these evictions have deeply damaged both the mental and physical health of a number of tenants, which has led to some residents being hospitalised. Due to the extremity of the housing crisis, and the lack of housing available within the city, there are scant options available for the tenants if they are to be evicted at the end of the month. We are calling on Pat McDonagh, and the other landlords who oversee the buildings to revoke these eviction notices and let the Shannon Arms residents remain in their homes.

New Look staff in Strabane, some with over twenty years service, are being forced into redundancy by a senseless Lidl relocation from Bradley Way to Strabane Retail Park. It will bring ten new jobs but will cost up to sixty job losses. Strabane is an area of high social and economic deprivation and these potential job losses will be a disaster for a town with historically high unemployment. Four retail units will close to facilitate this Lidl development and relocation (New Look, Menarys, Peacocks, Argos). Strabane Workers Together are highlighting this redundancy injustice and are calling on all four aforementioned employers to relocate within Strabane.

Ukraine's national debt is €120 billion, that's almost 80% of their GDP. They are spending €6bn a year just servicing this debt, and have had years of austerity measures pushed as a result. This is illegitimate debt, built up due to the oligarchisation of society, the failure to tax the rich and currently increasing rapidly due to the brutal Russian invasion. Now a growing international movement is demanding this debt be cancelled. Given our own history, Irish people should be at the forefront in demanding the the cancellation of this odious debt.