Families may no longer be evicted from homes were mortgage was negotiated away from the business premises or by doorstep selling situation i.e. Broker arranged or when the right to cancel was not given i.e. a seven day cooling off period. S.I. No. 224/1989 - European Communities (Cancellation of Contracts Negotiated Away From Business Premises) Regulations, 1989.

There are any number of reasons to support this action. Recent confirmation that human remains of babies and young infants, discovered in a sewage tank on the grounds of a former Mother and Baby home in Tuam is the latest in a long line of stories that have appalled and shocked Ireland and indeed the rest of the world. The clerical child sex abuse cases, the Church's view on contraception, divorce, equal marriage, the role of women in society and in the church, abortion. It is time that people who were brought up as Roman Catholic, should now have the facility to exercise their free will and be able to declare officially that they are no longer of that religion. This facility was taken away from us in 2009 by a change in Canon law. We ask that lawmakers put pressure on the Catholic Church to allow that right. We demand that the Catholic Church allows those of us who wish to leave, the facility to do so on the record. #letusleave

These are some of the worst incidents of abuse in the history of the Irish State. Many children died through neglect and ill-health and possibly physical abuse. All suffered. The State at the time knew this was taking place, but rather than shut them down, they paid these organisations to house those they deemed undesirable. Places like Westbank in Greystones were used as an illegal adoption agency and profited very handsomely out of it. Whilst victims of similar Catholic-run organisations have been recognised under the Redress Act 2002, no such move was made for those in Protestants homes, even though Bethany Home falls under every category for redress. Despite meeting members of the Bethany Home Survivors Group, Minister Zappone is still refusing to fast-track redress for these long-suffering people. Not many are left now and time is running out. https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/bethany-home-survivors-disappointed-over-governments-refusal-to-extend-fast-track-redress-scheme-927837.html

The Mother and Baby Homes Commission has found that there is a 'culture of “institutionalisation and human trafficking” has existed amongst various religious orders and State-funded institutions.' In light of the horrific news of the mass grave in Tuam, all other Mother and Baby Homes now need to be investigated. Only 14 Mother and Baby Homes and 4 County Homes are included within the Commission's Terms of Reference, but numerous people and organisations, including the United Nations and women who spent time in these homes, believe that the scope of the Commission's investigations should be widened.

On Tuesday or Wednesday of next week, the Joint Committee on Water will vote on whether they recommend water charges for “excessive use.” This will be a Trojan Horse for bringing in full water charges at a later date. So far 10 members of the 20 person water committee have committed to scrapping water charges and ending the domestic metering process. If one more member abstains or votes to scrap the charges, the Dail will be instructed to end metering and end water charges for good. We’re asking people to contact two members of the Committee who may support our position. Senator Grace O’Sullivan of the Civic Engagement Group and Deputy Noel Grealish, Independent TD for Galway West. We must convince these members to vote to scrap water charges: 1. If metered charges continue, eventually allowances will be reduced and full water charges will be introduced in time – meaning Ireland would have water poverty for the first time in our history. 2. Irish people are not wasteful with their water. In fact, we use less water than almost any other country in the EU consuming 25% less water than countries like the UK where they’ve had metered charges for almost 30 years. 3. There is a real problem with leaks in the system but only 3% of leaks come from the household side of the infrastructure. Funding should be directed to the public side where 97% of water is being leaked and also to district metering which could identify leaks. 4. A metering process for ‘excessive use’ makes no economic sense. Firstly, the ‘expert commission’ on water said there is no identifiable excessive use and using their formula for charging for excessive use would mean spending up to €300 million on a metering programme for a return of €27 million. This is a waste of valuable taxpayers money and would divert money from upgrading the real infrastructural problems. 5. The real agenda behind water charges is privatization. Should the metering process continue, there is no doubt that our water would be privatized in the future. 6. Article 1.9 of the CETA international trade agreement could provide for the privatization of our water in the future and having meters in place would facilitate this. 7. Two thirds of the Irish public voted for politicians who declared opposition to water charges. This is backed up by the Irish Times MRBI poll which shows that 64% of the population want the charges scrapped while only 34% want them continued. It is time to do the democratic will of the Irish electorate. For these reasons and more water charges must be abolished. We need you to contact Senator Grace O’Sullivan and Deputy Noel Grealish and demand they abstain or vote to end water charges for good. Noel Grealish TD - [email protected] Senator Grace O’Sullivan - [email protected] As Senator Grace O’Sullivan is representing the Civic Engagement Group on the Water Committee, it is important that we tell the other members of the Committee to support our call. The full Civic Engagement Group includes: Alice Mary Higgins – [email protected] Collette Kelleher – [email protected] Frances Black – [email protected] Lynn Ruane – [email protected] John Dolan – [email protected] Please sign this petition and share with everyone you know. We only have days to protect our human right to water and prevent future water poverty.

The lives of the asylum seekers depend on this 60 page form being filled in correctly. It will determine whether or not they will allowed to stay in the state. The 20 days deadline is causing fear and despair on asylum seekers. Most of them cannot get appointments from their solicitors for help. There has been no information sessions organised in most of the centres to inform asylum seekers. http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/questionnaires-cause-distress-for-people-in-direct-provision-1.2982616

A 17 year old school student has already been found guilty of false imprisonment – a verdict a barrister described as “a recipe for totalitarianism”. This related to an anti water charges protest in Jobstown, Tallaght in Dublin on 15 November 2014, where then Tánaiste Joan Burton’s car was delayed for 2 and ½ hours by a spontaneous community protest. The 18 adults now awaiting trial from April 2017 face sentences up to life imprisonment. The trials, which will be six to eight weeks long, themselves will place enormous stress and strain on the defendants. If jailed, families would be left in very difficult situations, with jobs lost and parents in prison. If TD Paul Murphy is jailed for more than six months, he will be removed as a TD, denying the democratic choice of the people of Dublin South West. The political establishment and the supportive media are desperate to tarnish the anti water charges movement as a violent, anti-democratic mob. By grossly misrepresenting and using what happened in Jobstown they want to weaken our democratic rights and so make it easier to impose economic inequality. The laws used to directly seize the Property Tax from wages or benefits as well the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) legislation used to rob the wages of pubic servants, show that this attack is real. The dirty smear campaign against Maurice McCabe by the Gardai tops, shows the lengths this rotten establishment are willing to go to shut down descent and opposition to the status quo. The definition of ‘false imprisonment’ is being changed and this affects everyone. Any temporary delay or obstruction at a protest or picket, which for example inconveniences a politician, could be deemed false imprisonment. This is about intimidating people and criminalising protest.

Stepping aside in light of the serious allegations of wrongdoing and interference with the administration of justice is important for our democracy and is in the interest of good policing. Those in positions of management and leadership in the Garda, the criminal justice system and the government need to absorb this request.

The Johnstown estate is the biggest estate in Navan with nearly 3000 houses and 10,000 people and still growing. In actual fact it is bigger than most of the small towns like Kells and Dunshaughlin surrounding it. But bigger is not always better when it comes to facilities. Johnstown is the forgotten estate when it comes to facilities in Co Meath for its young and ever growing population. Most of the smaller towns and other estates in Navan around us have much better facilities, with a state of the art Community Centre's in the likes of Dunshaughlin. For the Council to build a Community Centre from scratch in Johnstown, it would firstly take far to long for its long suffering population but would also cost to much. It makes much better financial sense for the Council to purchase the former Energy Gym for the benefit of everyone living in the community. This is only a once in a lifetime chance to turn a near derelict building and an eye sore based in the centre of the community into a badly needed Community Centre which all the residents of Johnstown can be proud of. We would ask that all Meath County Councillors from all parties and none would support this petition and urge the Council to act urgently to secure the Centre for the benefit of their constituents.

This week the EU silc data was released. It shows consistent poverty in the state is 8.7%. For 2 parent families with 3 or less children this drops to 7.7% but for children in lone parent families it is 26.2%. It is fundamentally wrong that a child is almost 3 1/2 times more likely to live in poverty based purely on their family status. We know childhood poverty has long reaching effects and we owe it to all children to ensure they have a fair chance.

It is important to try and send a strong and crystal clear message from as many people worldwide to show defiance against the tyrannical regime that seems to be infecting the United States of America.

Enda will not stand up to Trump. He will embarrass the nation. Michael D Higgins on the other hand will eloquently represent us and honor our human values.