It will help ensure autistic kids a get a sufficient and useful education, this will also give them greater independence, autonomy and allow for societal inclusion. By creating a specific curriculum that caters to their different needs and is in line with today’s world view, they will be able to teach them things that are useful to their own personal development. Increasing the sizes of classes for those with autism or building specific schools will help ensure that those who need those services can get it. Increasing SNA’s and investing more into individual child costs will also help. As increasing support will help them reach their goals better.

In Ireland our individual ecological footprint is approximately 5.2 Global Hectares per Capita (ghc) but the Planet’s actual capacity is only 1.8 ghc: we are living as if there are almost three Planet Earths. This way of life is not only contributing to mass extinction, pandemics and extreme economic inequalities, it means that, in all likelihood, our country will be uninhabitable for our grandchildren. A One Planet Development scheme would give people the option of moving out of the city and into the countryside to pioneer a way of life that goes some way towards bringing the human-nature relationship back into balance. It would allow people to build small low-impact dwellings, to establish community and to work with the land in a regenerative way to bring systemic change to our food systems.

On 19 August, EU Commissioner Phil Hogan attended an Oireachtas Golf Society dinner along with 81 other people in what was a flagrant breach of Covid-19 public health guidelines. Even before the government announced new measures curtailing the numbers at social events this week, the maximum number of people allowed at indoor social events was 50. Not only this, but it has been reported that Hogan has been spending some of his time at a residence in County Kildare. For the past two weeks, Kildare residents have been asked not to leave the county because of increased restrictions there. Hogan's decision to ignore public health guidelines is unacceptable. In attending this event, he has displayed utter contempt for ordinary people who have done their utmost to abide by guidelines and stop the spread of Covid-19. Hogan's disdain for working people and the poor has been on show before. In 2014 he threatened those who would not or could not pay water charges, saying their water pressure would be "turned down to a trickle". More recently, he has been at the forefront of the push to implement the Mercosur deal, which will undermine small and medium farmers' livelihoods and pave the way for further destruction of the Amazon rainforest. Yet despite the resignations of Dara Calleary and Jerry Buttimer this week, Hogan has thus far brazenly refused to step down. His arrogance is a slap in the face to health workers at the front lines and to all those who have lost loved ones to this pandemic. His actions have also undermined the public health effort at a crucial time. Hogan represents the worst of a rotten political elite that believe there is one rule for them and another for ordinary people. He must resign immediately and apologise for his actions.

Hi There, I don't know how many people this will reach as I choose to remain anonymous as I don't want my personal business all over social media or the internet, but here is our story. My Husband came to Ireland from Nigeria in December 2015 we met in March of 2016 and began a relationship in June of the same year (3 months later) My husband applied to the department of justice under the family reunification process due to his brother holding an EU passport as he is living and working in Ireland for a number of years. This application was subsequently refused, he of course was given the opportunity to appeal this decision, which was also refused. During this time our relationship progressed as any relationship would and we decided after 3 years together to married. As a couple where one of us not an EU / EEA citizen we had to undergo a joint and separate interviews by HSE before we could marry so they could determine if we were marrying for immigration purposes. It was a 5 hour interview process in total and we were asked everything from what color is your front door to where we went on our first date. In the end after an 8 month wait and numerous phone calls with additional questions the HSE found that we were not marrying for immigration purposes and that we were a genuine couple and were given the go ahead to marry. We proceeded to book our wedding date 28th of june 2020, we were busy planning the big day with family and friends we were so excited, However our happiness was short lived. On the 19th of June we received a letter from the DOJ issuing my husband with a deportation order stating that my husband either, had to leave the country by the 19th of July himself or face being detained and forcibly removed. We were absolutely devastated our whole world came down around us. We made the hardest decision we have ever had to make and decided that he would abide by the order and we would leave by the 19th of July for fear of being arrested and detained and we would continue to fight this with the help our solicitor. We also decided that we would still go ahead and get married on the 28th of June as planned. Your wedding day is supposed to be one of the happiest days of your life and while it as a beautiful day that we celebrated with family and friends it was constantly at the back of my mind that he will have to leave in 20 days for god knows how long. On the 18th of July 2020 we went to Dublin airport and I said goodbye to my husband, it was the most gut wrenching day of our lives. I have seen him once in the time he has been gone. I traveled to Nigeria to see him, the minister in the deportation stated that there is no reason why I cant live in Nigeria, despite the fact the department of foreign affairs advises against all but essential travel to Nigeria due to the safety in particular of non nationals due to kidnappings and the threat of islamist extremist terrorist organization, Boko Haram. It has been over a year since my husband has left Ireland and it is only getting harder, I am utterly devastated as is he. We are not different to any other husband and wife, we love the same as an Irish couple. My Husband is a highly educated man and has already received offers of employment which we have sent to the DOJ. Please help us,We have contacted the DOJ numerous times as has our solicitor. We feel we are getting nowhere and don't know what to do. I have contacted the new Minister for justice personally via email and facebook but I have received no response. We need all the help we can get just to be reunited and live our lives together. Thank you for your time.

Today ( Aug 27th 2020) another person has lost their life in Ireland's horrible Direct Provision system. It is time now for the 1.47 million Irish citizens outside of Ireland to push for change through whatever channels we can. Colm Brophy TD is Minister for the Diaspora and is the only voice we have and we must make our views clear to him - Céad Míle Fáilte is not conditional! Direct Provision was introduced as an emergency measure in 1999. Today there are 7,000 people living in direct provision. The current government coalition has committed to ending the Direct Provision System within their term however there has been limited communication about any action so far. Last week it was revealed The Department of Justice and Equality compiled daily reports of social media relating to Direct Provision, how much traction they had and how critical they were for the government. COVID-19 has again highlighted how unsafe this system is with multiple outbreaks in centres across the country. In recent times of crises, Irish governments have historically favoured austerity rather than investing in a social safety net. We have to pressure the government to deliver on their commitment by the end of their term AND ensure there are improved provisions to care for Asylum Seekers in the meantime. Irish people all over the world are given the opportunity to support our communities, to contribute to society, and to share our culture in our new homes so we want to remind you of this. Wherever you are, wherever you are from the Céad Míle Fáilte is not conditional. #DiasporaagainstDirectProvision Tag Minister for the Diaspora, Colm Brophy @brophytalks Tag Minister for Justice, Helene McEntee @HMcentee Tag Minister for Integration (DP disestablishment) Roderic O'Gorma @rodericogorman Tag Dept of Foreign Affairs @dfatirl Tage Dept of Justice @deptjusticIRL Tag MASI to show support @masi_asylum

From the example of the UK, we can see just how disastrous school profiling would be for a large amount of students. 39% of teacher predicted grades were downgraded by an algorithm, which could have robbed thousands of students of their futures (if not for the recent U-Turn of the British government). School profiling is frankly not an accurate assessment of student ability. All students, regardless of their background should be given the opportunity to excel in their leaving certificate without being held back by economic circumstances. Students should be assessed on their own ability and not the past performance of their schools. We recognise that we are a long way from solving the problem of inequality in our education system, but many of us are worried that this is a step backwards.

The people who produce our food are often treated the worst in society. Now, they're being exposed to COVID-19 at work, and bosses are allowed to get away with it. It's time Minister for Health Stephen Donnolly took action to make meat factory bosses protect the people who work there.

Covid 19 infection rates are rising again. The crisis is not over and requirements for social distancing are still vital. Any removal of mobility measures designed to facilitate safe movement into the city is dangerously premature. Shannon Bridge is a crucial transport corridor for schools. Over 3,500 children will soon travel to schools directly served by Shannon Bridge. Provision must be made for safe active travel to these schools. This is mandated by the National Transport Authority, Green Schools Ireland, and the Department of Education; The Department of Transport guidelines state 'use public transport only for essential journeys, walk or cycle if possible.' The COVID-19 Response Plan by the Dept. of Education for the safe and sustainable reopening of Primary and Special Schools states 'promote alternative means for children to get to school in a safe way, including walking, cycling and more generally in reducing the impact on public transport'. (July 2020). The Green Schools Plan 'An Ideas Document for Safe Access to Schools' also reiterates the need to prioritize active travel, including walking and cycling, and suggests the implementation of 'a cycle bus or walk-and-stride facilities'. (July 2020). In installing a cycle lane to provide safe travel for cyclists and a safer passage for pedestrians along the pathway- now insulated from motor vehicles- the Council has acknowledged the need for such infrastructure. Removal of such infrastructure is a retrograde step for the Council, when other local authorities across the country are introducing cycle infrastructure to support people who cycle and those that want to cycle but feel its unsafe to do so due to fear of accident, driver hostility and current route layout. Up to 40 children and parents from the Cycle Bus (which serves 2 primary schools in the city centre) use the inbound lane to cross the Shannon each morning on route to school and work. Before the lane was opened exclusively to cyclists and pedestrians, these children shared a lane of traffic with cars, vans, buses and HGV’s on a daily basis. It was, all would agree, the most unsafe aspect of the Cycle Bus’ journey each morning. If Limerick wants to support the increasing numbers of people cycling, then the Council must support 'people first' measures like maintaining a safe segregated cycle lane on one of our bridges.

The review of this legislation is accepting submissions until September 11th 2020. The Criminal Justice Act 2017 Part 4 was put in place after lobbying by individuals and groups, some of whom were founded by and still have members of religious orders who ran Magdalene Laundries in their organisations, who believe all sex work is exploitation. This is not the case. This stance means ALL sex workers are being classified as exploited which in turn is distracting efforts from identifying real human trafficking victims. Human trafficking victims exist in many industries in Ireland including agriculture, fisheries, manufacturing and many more. Child trafficking is also a problem in Ireland. Yet, we are targeting consenting sex workers. The belief was that the criminalisation of the purchase of sexual services would end the demand for sexual services. This has not come into fruition. Ireland has been downgraded to Tier Two Watch List in the latest Trafficking in Persons Report and there have been NO PROSECUTIONS for human trafficking in Ireland EVER. Consensual sex workers exist in Ireland and will always exist in Ireland. This legislation has unfairly targeted their earnings, their safety and their autonomy rather than tackling human traffickers. These people and organisations have had very little communication with sex workers or experience in investigating cases of sex trafficking or other forms of human trafficking. This means there are victims of trafficking who are not even being looked for. This law has cut the flow of information to Gardaí from sex workers about real trafficking victims and children being requested for exploitation. Not only that but violence against sex workers has increased to dangerous levels because clients are afraid to get caught and sex workers are stigmatised to the point where abuse is deemed a natural part of their work - which should never be the case. Nicer clients have been scared away by the illegality of purchasing of sexual services and many who are still buying sex are the ones who take risks, putting sex workers in Ireland in serious danger. Sex workers report more issues with clients regarding safe sex. Sex workers in Ireland are not legally allowed to work together for safety under Ireland ‘Brothel Keeping’ legislation so they do not even have that comfort. To make buying sex illegal On top of the Brothel Keeping legislation, without first ensuring sex workers have access to social services and housing and all the other things they need to survive is horrific. For these reasons we are demanding an end to the Criminal Justice Act Section 27 part 4! TACKLE HUMAN TRAFFICKERS NOT WORKING PEOPLE!

We need to let the politicians that voted for this pay rise know that this is totally unacceptable while the country is in crisis and they are accountable to us, the people.

This is important because no such issue is being considered with regard to Scotland, England or Welsh borders within UK, or with UK, Welsh or Scottish travel to the South of Ireland. NI is being penalised on our own Island, to travel within our island, on the back of a BREXIT that the majority of NI Citizens voted against in the first place. This is our chance to stand and take our place today in the fight for tomorrow and demand Boris Johnson, Taoiseach and the NI Assembly Ministers listen to and seriously reconsider this decision.

This is the largest adult safeguarding investigation in the UK of its kind. The PSNI has examined CCTV footage and has so far established that there have been more than 1500 criminal assaults on patients in a 6 bed ward in a time period of 6 months. Two weeks ago yet another staff member was sacked from the hospital for abuse on a patient. The abuse is continuing. There can be no tolerance of abuse and it is critical that the individuals and institutions responsible should be held to account. That includes those who were directly responsible for the abuses but crucially also, the institutions and individuals responsible for systemic failures or whose action or inaction otherwise permitted the abuse to occur. These people were in the care of the state and are amongst the most vulnerable in society.