Ensuring affordable and accessible halal meat and poultry options in major Irish retailers is not just about meeting the dietary needs of the Muslim community—it’s about fostering inclusion, equity, and mutual respect in a diverse society. Here’s why this matters: 1. Economic Fairness: Many families are struggling with rising costs, and the higher prices of halal-certified products in specialty stores place an additional burden on Muslim households. Access to affordable options can ease financial pressure and ensure fair treatment for all consumers. 2. Cultural Inclusion: Ireland is home to a growing multicultural population. By providing halal-certified products, major retailers can demonstrate their commitment to inclusion, respect for diversity, and the values of a progressive, welcoming society. 3. Convenience and Accessibility: Currently, many families must travel long distances or pay premium prices to access halal meat and poultry. Introducing halal products in major retailers will make it easier for individuals and families to meet their dietary needs without unnecessary hardship. 4. Health and Well-Being: For many, halal food is more than a dietary choice—it’s a fundamental part of their faith and identity. By supporting this campaign, we can ensure that everyone in our community can access food that aligns with their values and beliefs. 5. Support Your Neighbors: Joining this campaign is an act of solidarity with your Muslim neighbors and friends. It’s a way to show that you care about their well-being and believe in equality for all. 6. Build a Stronger Community: When communities work together to address shared challenges, we create a more united, compassionate, and inclusive society. 7. Encourage Positive Change: By advocating for accessible halal products, you’re helping to ensure that businesses adapt to the changing needs of our diverse population, setting a positive example for other industries. 8. Set a Precedent for Inclusion: Supporting this initiative sends a powerful message to policymakers, businesses, and organizations across Ireland that inclusivity is not optional—it’s essential. Together, we can create a fairer, more inclusive Ireland where everyone feels supported and valued. Your signature can make a difference. Join us today!

Statistics from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry indicate that over 50% of new petrol and diesel cars, bought in 2023, were SUVs [1]. Environment: According to the Financial Times, sales of SUVs in Ireland have risen dramatically and are now amongst the highest in the EU [2]. These vehicles, largely driven in urban areas, contribute disproportionately to greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and traffic congestion. Their larger size and weight result in increased fuel consumption and road wear, further exacerbating these issues. Their electric counterparts, due to their excessive size are contributing to global shortages of critical metals such as lithium, causing significant environmental degradation & reshaping global politics. Road Safety: Crash data from Belgium from 2017 to 2021 also shows that a 10cm increase in the height of vehicle fronts raises the risk of death by 30% when a car hits a pedestrian or cyclist, according to a study by the Vias Institute, previously the Belgian Institute for Road Safety.  The study also illustrated that the risk of fatal injury to drivers involved in road accidents with these vehicles is also higher[3]. In Europe, the average width of new passenger cars increased by about 10 cm since the early 2000s, while average weight has climbed by over 200 kg[4]. By imposing an additional VRT on the sale of non-commercial heavy vehicles, we can encourage manufacturers to stop increasing the size of their cars, and incentivize consumers to choose more environmentally friendly options, such as smaller, more fuel-efficient cars or public transportation. This would help to reduce our carbon footprint, meet our legally binding climate targets and improve air quality. A higher VRT on heavy non-commercial vehicles is a necessary and effective measure to protect our environment and promote sustainable transportation and public health improvements. “The Irish transport system is car dependent by design, is high in greenhouse gas emissions and does not support improved well-being.” — OECD 2022 report Public Health Risks: Cancer and Air Pollution Exhaust fumes from petrol and diesel vehicles are a major source of air pollution, particularly nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and particulate matter (PM), both of which have been linked to serious health conditions. The World Health Organization classifies diesel exhaust as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning it is a known cause of cancer in humans, particularly lung cancer. Children, the elderly, and those with existing health conditions are especially vulnerable. SUVs, due to their larger engines and higher fuel consumption, emit more pollutants than smaller vehicles. Reducing the number and size of these vehicles on our roads could significantly decrease pollution-related illnesses and healthcare costs,  and help cut road deaths whilst improving overall public health—especially in densely populated urban areas. Promoting Equity: By taxing non-commercial vehicles that disproportionately contribute to emissions, a sales weight tax could create a more equitable system where the costs of environmental damage are more fairly distributed between urban and rural dwellers. This could free up resources for other groups such as farmers to be rewarded for investing in sustainable practices. We propose that the revenue collected be directed into improving nationwide public transit as well as better connectivity and parking options for rural communities. Different solutions for different places.

• 12,734 murders in the first half of 2024, with an average of 70 people murdered daily. • 11,520 civilian casualties in the Ukraine war between February 2022 and July 2024. • 42,780 rapes reported in the 2022/2023 fiscal year (1 rape every 12 minutes). • 15,343 kidnappings reported in the 2022/2023 fiscal year (51 per day). • 5,488 cars hijacked between April and June 2024 (60 per day). Can you imagine living under these conditions? For just one week or one month, consider what it would feel like to live in such an environment. Your home: 1. Alarm system always armed. 2. Bars on your windows, never opened at night or when you’re not in the room. 3. Security gates on your front and back doors, always locked. 4. High property walls covered in electric fencing. 5. CCTV cameras for constant monitoring. Even with all these security features, the average South African rarely sleeps deeply, fearing that someone may bypass these measures and enter their home to rob, kill, or assault them. If the alarm is triggered, it’s often not the police who respond but a private security company, and response times can range from 30 minutes to never. On the streets: Walking requires constant vigilance. Nobody walks alone. Children don’t play in parks, walk to visit friends, or go to the mall without close adult supervision. Many children cannot even play in their own yards unsupervised. Crime Statistics in Major South African Cities Cape Town, South Africa • Population: 464,986 • Murder rate: 64 per 100,000 inhabitants Cape Town ranks among the world’s most dangerous cities, with a murder rate of 66.36 per 100,000 residents. Johannesburg, South Africa • Population: 5,866,550 • Murder rate: 37.9 per 100,000 inhabitants Johannesburg is one of the world’s deadliest cities, where displaying wealth can make you a target for kidnapping. Traveling in an armored vehicle or with a large group is recommended for safety. Pietermaritzburg, South Africa • Population: 475,238 Both public and private transport, day and night, can be dangerous in Pietermaritzburg. Violent crimes peak at night. It’s recommended to avoid taking out cash unless inside a hotel or bank due to the high crime rate and low police presence. Pretoria, South Africa • Population: 741,651 • Murder rate: 38 per 100,000 inhabitants Pretoria is another dangerous city where travelers should avoid walking or traveling at night. Armed robberies and gang violence are prevalent, making armored vehicles a safer option for those who can access them. Sources: • Most Dangerous Cities in the World - Armormax • Shocking Murder Numbers in South Africa - BusinessTech • Ukraine War Casualties - Statista • Sexual Offenses in South Africa - Statista • Kidnapping Cases in South Africa - South African Government

Why is the man credited with the first colonial voyage to the present day Americas, and the subsequent genocide of the Indigenous people celebrated in this city and on this island?  It is time that this monument is removed and replaced with a piece of art that reflects a meaningful historic connection that the people of Galway have with the Americas.  This statue sits on public land in the centre of the city, and so it must represent a part of our story or cultural heritage. The statue seemingly commemorates a voyage that Columbus may have taken to Galway in 1477, though the evidence of when (and if) this trip took place is limited.  The sculpture was commissioned by Columbus's hometown of Genoa in 1992 to commemorate the 500 years since Columbus set sail across the Atlantic, initiating the genocidal conquest of the Americas and the attempted erasure of ancient cultures that were at home there for thousands of years when Columbus seemingly 'discovered' it.  Furthermore, Galway stands with the Indigenous people of the Americas, as we stand with the people of Palestine who are today experiencing the same settler colonial ethnic cleansing by Israel and supported by their Western allies.  It is time that this sculpture which sits on public land is removed and replaced with something that has historic meaning for the people of Galway.

Action 17 of the Green Party’s energy security policy reads: " To create a Strategic Gas Emergency Reserve to protect Ireland in the event of a gas supply disruption as Ireland makes a secure transition to majority renewable energy" under a timeline of "accelerated implementation". This Action was signed off by Minister Eamon Ryan of the Green Party, Action 17 and is a Greenwashed statement that translates as Minister supporting the building of new fossil fuel infrastructure. Put simply, Action 17 has created an opening for a fracked gas import terminal to be built In Ireland. Shannon LNG’s application for a terminal on the Kerry coast has recently been remitted to An Bord Pleanála on the basis that there was no clear policy against LNG, according to High Court Judge Humphreys. The proceedings of the court, specifically in Point 117 refers to Action 17.   The Green Party on entry to the current coalition government, promised policy against LNG  and again in 2021 - but the party didn't deliver on its promises so far. Now time is running out and Action 17, along with the application for Shannon LNG being remitted to Bord Pleanála and the lack of policy against LNG terminals spells just one thing, and that is: "Fracked Gas Imports". Thousands of people came out on the streets against fracking in Ireland for public health reasons. We can't ban fracking in Ireland and then import fracked gas from the US that has poisoned men, women and children across the waters - can we?  To prevent an LNG terminal that imports fracked gas from the US, Green Party members, including its leader Roderic O'Gorman, must URGENTLY put pressure on Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan to revoke Action 17 and implement clear policy against LNG terminals before the government dissolves. 

It is imperative that appropriate measures be put in place to support Teachers and  SNAs who have been assaulted in the classroom. Anyone who suffers an assault in the workplace their sole focus should be on their recovery. I believe these amendments are crucial for the wellbeing of our educators and to ensure a safe and supportive working environment. 

The climate and biodiversity emergency (and the wider global polycrisis it represents) is entirely different from all other issues in this general election campaign. It is global in scope, raising genuine existential risk for the stability of all human civilisation within the lifetime of young people already of voting age. It transcends and dwarfs the other “conventional” political issues: there can be no enduring solution to housing, healthcare, education, emigration, economic development, peace or justice unless there is a successful response to the climate and biodiversity emergency. For Ireland to play even its minimal fair share in such a global response would now require fundamental and disruptive changes in current political priorities. It is utterly impossible to do justice to this issue without a full debate devoted exclusively to it, and driven by an audience selected explicitly to represent future generations who are entirely reliant on the decisions being made now. "We need to focus every inch of our being on climate change. Because if we fail to do so, then all of our achievements and progress will be for nothing. And all that will remain of our political leaders’ legacy will be the greatest failure of human history. And they will be remembered as the greatest villains of all time because they have chosen not to listen and not to act." - Greta Thunberg, speech to the European Economic and Social Committee, February 2019. [Note: This initiative follows on a previous petition during the #GE2020 election campaign. Image credit: sculpture by Isaac Cordal, "Follow the leaders".] 

Najwa Elsabbgh is 74 and is trapped in Northern Gaza. We demand that her name gets added to a list of adults and children who are due to be evacuated to Ireland in the coming weeks.   Najwa was granted a visa in February 2024 to come live in Ireland with her daughter Sherin Alsabbagh, an Irish citizen since 2022. Najwa has the approval from Israel to leave Gaza. To neglect to evacuate Najwa during this critical opportunity would be an abandonment of the Irish Government's obligation to protect its citizens and their immediate families.    After being displaced more than 11 times, Najwa is back hiding in her home near Al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s biggest medical facility, which has been destroyed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) since October 7th, 2023. The IDF besieged the hospital in March and destroyed numerous surrounding neighborhoods, leaving Najwa’s own home partly destroyed after a deliberate tank shelling. Neighbors across the street were killed and they remain buried under the rubble.   Despite Sherin's repeated pleas, Najwa is still trapped in Gaza; the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Irish government have so far failed to provide a safe exit for her. It has now become a matter of extreme urgency for the Irish Government to act, as Najwa's health is in rapid decline after enduring a year of hardship under constant bombardments, starvation, sickness and repeated displacement. Najwa’s back and knees are bad from fleeing in panic over broken roads and dead bodies. She is weak from the lack of food and water.    Every single person in Gaza means the world to their family, they are not merely numbers. Sherin fears she will not see her mother again. Time is against her, with the ramping up of the ethnic cleansing of Gaza, its intensity shows no signs of diminishing.   Najwa has already lost nearly 200 members of her close and extended family, her health is in decline. She has all her papers in order and has the legal right to be reunited with her daughter in Ireland. Put Najwa’s name on the evacuation list!  

Period poverty occurs when someone can't afford or access suitable period products. A 2018 survey of 1,100 girls aged 12-19 living in Ireland found that approximately 50% of girls surveyed occasionally experienced period poverty, with 10% using unsuitable products as a result of cost barriers (Plan International). The evidence suggests that young students are particularly vulnerable to period poverty, shame, and stigma. The government must support the provision of free period products in second-level institutions to remove barriers to participation and well-being, while also helping to break down the stigma surrounding menstruation. In 2021, the Free Provision of Period Products Bill was proposed, yet, in October 2024, it still remains in Seanad Éireann. In 2022, the HSE National Social Inclusion Office instigated the Period Dignity Project that aimed to reduce period stigma, increase education and distribute free period products to social inclusion target groups. The project was largely successful in reducing stigma and providing products to those in need. The success of this initiative can serve as a model for implementing free period products in Irish secondary schools. We call to expedite this process and to make funding available for the provision of period products in bathrooms in all second-level institutions across Ireland. We urge you to support this vital initiative by signing our petition, recognizing that access to period products is as essential as soap and toilet paper in our schools.

Students and young people are the future of this island. They will be our doctors and teachers and nurses, however with the failings of this government many are leaving here as they see no hope for a future or they are dropping out of courses as they are unable to afford to be a student. 

The affected families have been integrated into many parts of our town in Blackrock so it would have an impact on many people in the community. It is within our interest to maintain them as a key part of this community going forward. 

Only by mobilising working people on housing can we build a movement for housing with more power than the landlords, developers and vulture funds.