I'd like to become a 'new' registered State Marriage Officer. Voluntarily I'm involved in a 'regenerate Tipp town' effort. If people wanted low fuss/cost weddings (once three months notice etc. followed) for a bit of local tourism I'd pick them up at Limerick Junction (the Railways crossroads of Ireland) whisk them to our deconsecrated Famine workhouse chapel/Glen of Aherlow/Rock of Cashel/Swiss cottage for a service. Right now I am 'barred' from becoming a Solemnizer. More importantly - we may have voted for marriage equality - but the practicalities (which sends many tourist dollars abroad) of booking a solemnizer/officer is quite different. Many go for a church wedding now - not as their first choice - but because it's extremely difficult to find a solemnizer otherwise. Here's a breakdown - online / HSE you'll see current list of approx. 5000 'approved' solemnizers. 76% of those were put on the list by virtue of being R. Catholic church priests (all men). There are say another 20% as 'religious - many some form of Christian , Jews, Muslims, Protestants and minority religions things like Celtic mystics, druids, witches etc all included. That leaves say 4% deemed 'non religious'/secular. For those who want a cold impersonal Registry office wedding during office hours only - not with friends at the weekend 3% of that 4% is HSE/civil servants for office hours/town hall weddings (which suit some - but others go midweek to get the paperwork only and get another celebrant/not on Solemnizer list for their weekend do with their friends - they do it not by choice that way). Of course we do 'hunt' some abroad with all this 'BS'. So now - below 1% - we are at what the State reckons will do you even if supply not meeting demand. Our 1% can only apply 'via' the Spiritualists or the Humanists. Both are philosophies/isms even if not religions. You can 'play along' and pretend you're a Spiritualist or a Humanist for the day - even though you might be against what they stand for. But that's it. You want non religious? OK - there's Registry office for you midweek if you don't want a wait. Don't like those? Contact the Humanists or Spiritualists. You don't really 'follow' their thing and don't like Registry idea. It's the big bad aeroplane for you. You don't want to answer a question about religion? Cultural catholic not a regular massgoer? Well lots of priests would prefer you'd go elsewhere (pity they have 3/4 of the 'supply' side cornered. Let's see - you're a committed aethiest/agnostic/deist/no ism - don't want registry office - did you try Vegas? You're gay - well we know straight off 3/4 of them won't touch you even if you're a committed Catholic. That's why licences shouldn't be given via bodies/religions. You don't join the Humanists just so you can apply to join the Gardai - via the Humanists. The approved body approach is not fit for purpose/beyond patching up. A new system where any individual can apply. Gender quota'ed. I'd have national supply limits / usage monitoring, supply matched to preference demand whether by religion etc. Have some training and monitoring these new State Marriage Officials. Transition period where current Solemnizers can get onto new list. If say a priest doesnt want to reapply to the new system they continue doing church weddings - but - a reg. official maybe does the State's business in Church Registry etc. In other countries it is a simple State function - uncoupled from religions - they are not 'approving bodies' etc. We gave equal marriage to some of our citzens which they didn't have before. Now it's time for this bit of housekeeping to bring us into the 21st century.

It would allow for a peaceful resolution if May was actually willing to agree to it, and even if (or I suspect when) it was rejected out of hand it would do good for the relationship between reasonable Ulster Unionist political factions and our Republic.

Education is a constitutional right of every child and currently the existing schools in Gorey will not have capacity to accept every child in the Gorey area from 2021.

Ireland is a diverse country with people of all races. Representation of this in the media matters. Representation of all cultures, shapes, shades and sizes of people in Ireland also matters. At the moment when looking at newsstands, we have noticed approximately 90% of Irish publications all have white models on their cover month after month. We don't feel that is an accurate or fair representation for or of Ireland. Imagine our children all growing up feeling represented, heard and seen; knowing that they too can be seen and heard and that all races and shades matter. Myself (Yasmin O'Connor), Emma Murphy & Not Another Agency believe the time for a change on our magazine covers is now. We have also received some feedback from people on 'Why representation matters to you?' here are some of the responses "because all teens and children should have someone that represents them no matter their race, disability etc'' - Dervla 'because at the moment it is racist ableist nonsense that stops there being actual diversity'' - Maggie ''because right now Irish media is not in anyway reflective of the diversity in our society'' - Anne ''because I don't want my kid (white) growing up thinking their skin makes them superior to anyone'' - Sharon 'because perfection isn't the norm, beauty comes in all appearances'' - Jess 'because I stopped buying magazines about 8 years ago because of how they portray women' - Dora ''because we live in a multi-racial society but unless you are tall, blonde white and pretty you don't seem to matter - Emma ''because Ireland isn't all tall, thin, blondes and it is damaging to young girls to only see this all the time'' -Jesska ''because I never thought about it until was brought to my attention because I am a white woman and am always represented' - Siobhan Not Another Agency who is a modelling agency in Ireland have come on board to help support this movement of change in Irish media. Dean Ryan McDaid who is one of the founders of Not Another Agency which started 4 years ago says We strongly feel that diversity in the modelling industry should not mean just filling a quota. The fashion industry of Ireland has a responsibility to show the diversity of our country right now. There is still a long way to go with this but we feel it has gotten much better since we started our agency. There was a huge lack of diversity, especially with race and size when we started and this really prompted us to start and try and break the mould. We are delighted to see the strides that have been made, but there are still many more to go!”

We should send the world a message that people like Donald Trump should not be welcome where the country they want to visit have fundamentally different views on Race, Immigration and the LGBT community etc

We have suffered untold trauma at the behest of the church and convents, mother and baby homes, illegal adoption, clerical abuse, etc., etc. The Roman Catholic church are the Richest bank in the world and can pay for whatever costs this trip will incur. Enough is enough!

The people of Clondalkin are spending extra money a week to buy bottled water to avoid the scum like oil that is floating on top of a glass of water or a cup of tea. They are also noticing staining in their cups from the tea and for health reasons are not using this water for baby bottles.

The word ‘Institute’ conveys a sense of learning, gravitas and professionalism. Any organization that wishes to be called an institute should be required to comply with a set of national standards to ensure the public are not mislead by the term in that organizations title. We strictly regulate the domain name .ie to ensure a high set of standards are complied with. We should consider this to be no less important.

To get politicians to address bullying in our schools, workplace and community. Bullying is usually perpetrated on innocent and vulnerable people and in many cases has caused people to commit suicide. This is an indirect cause of death and highlighting this will make people have a second thoughts about their activities.

pre hospital emergency care council will be the only accreditation body for first aid in the workplace. They are preventing qualified instructors from advertising this service. PHECC instructors are nurses , fire fighters , medical technicians and paramedics but Now PHECC are forcing them out of the market to the benefit of a select few larger companies. First aid instructors help us to save lives and PHECC wants to force us into unfair contracts without agreeing payment structures and without any rights as employees such as holiday pay or sick pay. Higher costs for life saving training will cost lives and will harm the public as a whole. Please sign our petition- we need life saving training of the highest standard available and accessible to all people not just the privileged few.

Catalonia are being robbed financially and culturally and the majority want independence from Spain. Spain is divided up into 17 communes and each should pay 5.88% tax but Catalonia pay over 20%.Their infrasture has not been invested in with road charges going straight to Madrid while most of the rest of Spain enjoy no tolls on their roads. Their trains are over 40 years old as the rest of Spains trains have been updated while their system is falling apart. Catalonia are forbidden to create flights to the USA therefore American businesses set up in Madrid instead. Catalonia are not allowed to use renewable energies in such a sunny climate as this would affect profits for electricity suppliers based in Madrid. An agreement that Spain would reimburse Catalonia with 769 million euro was reneged upon.Spain also are trying to wipe out the Catalan language by not funding schools to teach it. There are 50 corruption cases opened with no sign of anyone been held responsible. Catalonians want a Republic like ours and not a dictatorship and I think Ireland should stand behind them.

Because i worked summer jobs from 1968 to when i entered the work force fully in1973 the Dept of Social Protection calculates by working life at 47 years total. This rule only applied from 1st Sept. 2012. Prior to this date had the previous criteria applied and my working life been reckoned at 42 years and my contibutions total would then be 1769, i would have averaged 42.11 contibutions per year. This would have been the second point on the averaging scale. Gross loss pension earnings for my wife and myself in over 10years = €14560