We need peace in the world

Israel is committing war crimes and genocide against the people of Palestine. Thousands of children are dying before our eyes. Families are being wiped out. Lives are being destroyed. Expelling the Israeli Ambassador would communicate a strong message that we, the people of Ireland, do NOT accept genocide and mass destruction. It would give courage to other nations around the world to stand in solidarity and do the same. It would send the message that - no matter how small the nation, our voices will be heard. We can not afford to be quiet today. We need to raise our voices for those who cannot and take a stand. Sign the petition to Expel the Israeli Ambassador NOW!

You visited Ireland just six months ago to mark peace on our island, the contribution to it of the US government and your own much loved Irish heritage. We know well the imperfections of the peace in Northern Ireland, and how far we still have to go. But the days of constant killings, and unbearable suffering are over here. At times it seemed impossible, but it was done. Now we are watching in horror as the leader of the Israeli government, Benjamin Netanyahu launches a genocidal war on the people of Gaza, who are without food, water, fuel or electricity, having already lived in an apartheid state for decades. As President of the United States of America, you have an unique role to play. We ask you to do all in your power to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and work towards a sustained peace in the region grounded in justice, freedom and equality for all.

On the back of the Citizens' Assembly, urgent change to cannabis policy is needed.

Ms Von De Leyen has endorsed a war crime in the name of EU citizens. Not only is this morally repugnant but it is a serious breach of democratic protocol which threatens the very fabric of the European project and has seriously weakened the EU's ability to respond to war crimes in the future. If the EU is to regain any credibility and salvage its ability to respond to war crimes in the future, then Ms Von De Leyen must be censured and removed from office immediately. The longer Ms Von De Leyen remains in office the more damage this breach of protocol will do to the European project.

Stop Palestinian genocide

Disabled people want to live full and equal lives. We want to work in secure, adequately paid employment with the necessary education, skills, qualifications, access, opportunities, and services i.e. Personal supports and transport. Forcing people into discriminatory and degrading assessments and being categorised based on impairments for the purpose of social protection is degrading, inhumane, and tramples over our human rights as per UN Convention on Rights of People with Disabilities and the Employment Equality Act.

In 2023, 25 years after the Good Friday Agreement, only 8% of NI kids go to integrated schools despite huge demand. Right now, the Department of Education has a public consultation on their 'Action Plan' and anyone can comment. Tell the Department of Education - we want a REAL Action Plan for integrated education.

Café Bloodthirsty strives to support people from all walks of life but especially queer creatives within the community of Galway—artists, dancers, musicians, mystics, performers, poets and more—all under the theme of mysticism and the macabre. Café Bloodthirsty caters in particular to the woefully underserved younger LGBTQ+ audience. Students and young adults identifying as such regularly express the desire for a public venue where they can feel safe and supported by customers and staff alike.

The decision by MU’s Governing Authority and senior management to replace democratic elections with a selection process, whereby they assume, with the assistance of a private recruitment firm, the responsibility of handpicking staff representatives, is an attack on basic principles of democracy and good governance.

The sale must be halted to provide a pause to consult stakeholders on the future of the site. The sale contains no conditions for the protection of the factory building and its preservation should be considered on the grounds of the social and architectural significance of the last Briquette factory in Ireland.

**Gaeilge thíos, Irish below** On the 26th June 2023, a long-awaited and long-delayed review into PhD support in Ireland was published. It recommended that government-funded PhD candidates receive a stipend of €25,000/year starting September 2023. Since then, bodies such as the SFI, the IRC, & Teagasc have remained silent, have not committed to raising stipends, and have not responded to PWO inquiries for clarification on how they would react to the review’s recommendations. The vast majority of the PGRs in Ireland are paid the equivalent of less than minimum wage, with the vast majority being held at 30% below minimum wage or worse. During the ongoing cost of living crisis, however, even a minimum wage is not enough to live on. They are desperately in need of better pay and increased support, so it is essential that stipends are raised as soon as possible. Moreover, PGRs need to know what their financial situation will look like in the near-future so they can make informed decisions about their accommodation in the midst of a longstanding housing crisis that is further exacerbated by the worsening cost of living crisis. With upcoming research costs for conferences, publications, and presentations, as well as the prospect of moving and various other important financial decisions, PGRs need clarity on what level of support they can count on from their funding agencies. However, with the current lack of communication about the potential stipend increase, PGRs have been left in limbo. Some PGRs are making long-term commitments on the basis of the stipend they receive, such as tenancy agreements, and cannot accept further delays. The Postgraduate Workers’ Organisation therefore demands that SFI, the IRC, Teagasc, and other PhD-funding bodies raise stipends to at least a living wage (i.e. €25,000/year) by September as recommended by the recent review into PhD support in Ireland, and that this increase be communicated immediately and clearly to all PhDs. ---------Gaeilge--------- Ar 26 mí Meitheamh 2023, foilsíodh tuairisc ar thacaíochta na PhDanna tar éis tréimhse feithimh agus moillithe fada. Mhol sé stipinn €25,000/bliain do PhDanna a raibh maoiniú acu ón rialtas ó Mheán Fómhair 2023 amach. Níl raibh trácht ar bith ó chomhlachtaí cosúil le SFI, leis an IRC, ná le Teagasc ar an scéal, níl gealltanas tugtha acu stipinní a ardú, agus níor fhreagair siad ceisteanna curtha ag an EOI maidir le soiléiriú ar na freagraí a bheas acu. Íoctar níos lú ná pá íosta do mhórchuid na dtaighdeoirí iarchéime in Éirinn, agus bíonn móramh acu 30% faoi phá íosta nó níos measa as. Le linn an géarchéim mhaireachtála reatha, ní leor pá íosta fiú le maireachtáil. Tá géarghá ag na taighdeoirí iarchéime ar tacaíochtaí agus pá níos fearr agus níos airde, agus mar sin is gá go mbeidh ardú tagtha ar na stipinní chomh luath agus is féidir. Thairis sin, caithfidh taighdeoirí iarchéime tuiscint cé chaoi mar a bheas an scéal sna míonna atá romhainn le go mbeadh siad in ann cinntí cónaithe a dhéanamh go feasach. Go áirithe le linn géarchéimeanna tithíochta agus maireachtála, tá an-ghá leis sin. Le costais comhdhálacha taighde, foilseacháin, taispeántais, aistrithe, srl. i measc go leor cinntí airgeadais eile, ní mór soiléireacht a thabhairt do taighdeoirí iarchéime maidir le cé mhéad tacaíochta a bheas ag dul chucu óna gcomhlachtaí maoinithe. Leis an easpa cumarsáide atá ann anois maidir le ardú na stipinní, fágadh lár lár na taighdeoirí iarchéime. Tá ar cuid acu cinntí fad-téarmach, cosúil le conartha tionóntachta, a ndéanamh acu de réir an stipinn atá ann faoi láthair, agus ní féidir leo leanúint ar aghaidh gan tuilleadh soiléireacht ar an scéal. Éilíonn Eagraíocht na nOibrithe Iarchéimithe mar sin go ndéanfaidh SFI, an IRC, Teagasc, agus comhlachtaí maoinithe PhDanna eile an stipinn a ardú go pá inmhaireachtála (.i. €25,000/bliain) ar a laghad roimh mí Mheáin Fhómhair mar atá molta ag an tuairisc le déanaí ar thacaíochta na PhDanna in Éirinn. Éilítear chomh maith go ndéanfar an ardú seo a fógairt go soiléir le gach uile PhD.