The efforts made in Ireland since March 12th to protect the most vulnerable of our society, and our society as a whole, from the threat of COVID-19 which has cost over 1,700 lives in Ireland has cost our residents greatly. Many lost loved ones and were unable to grieve or hold funerals, many lost their businesses or jobs indefinitely or permanently, children have been unable to go to school or childcare, many have had their lives disrupted and we have just started to open the economy back up. To allow tourists from the most infected parts of the US to travel to Ireland at the start of reopening our economy (and arguably the most critical time in this Pandemic for the country) flies in the face of all of our healthcare workers, all frontline staff, anybody that has lost a loved one during this Pandemic (whether due to COVID-19 or not) and all workers and businesses who have sacrificed for the greater good to control the spread. Our Government has expressed their concerns over the economy and the need to reopen, but unlike many continental European countries we are allowing tourists from the United States to enter our country and multiple reports have been made of tourists arriving and not taking the "mandatory 14-day quarantine" seriously. These tourists are arriving from states with the highest COVID-19 cases in the US and from states which have new daily records of new cases as each day passes. "A second wave of Covid-19 would wipe out any chance of economic recovery in Ireland either for this year or next, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has warned." - https://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/second-covid-19-wave-would-wipe-out-economic-recovery-1.4275388 A growing number of tourists from the US have been arriving over the past 2 weeks and Irish COVID-19 cases have been on the rise, with the reproduction number back at 1.0. These tourists have been refused tourist experiences and entry to restaurants for clearly ignoring the 14-day quarantine/self-isolation requests made by the Government. In this article, our elected officials have been quoted as admitting that these regulations are not being enforced and need to be: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/disease-expert-says-jailing-tourists-who-breach-quarantine-would-send-clear-message-1.4302794 "... Luke O’Neill, Professor of Biochemistry at Trinity College in Dublin, said it was a “big mistake” that tourists from states such as Texas are being permitted entry into the country. (from article: https://www.joe.ie/fitness-health/immunologist-us-travel-ireland-70003) While Prof Sam McConkey at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland thinks that these tourists should simply be jailed for 3 months for breaking the quarantine rules (see article: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/disease-expert-says-jailing-tourists-who-breach-quarantine-would-send-clear-message-1.4302794) it's evident that the best way to stop the spread of COVID-19 to Ireland from the US would be to ban all non-essential travel to Ireland from all US destinations.

Benefits include: — Allowing space for social distancing, giving shoppers and other visitors a higher level of safety. — Allowing for extra space for those who most need it and still need to get about. — Space for outdoor eating from cafes and pubs without cluttering footpaths. — More space for the already growing influx of shoppers and tourists. — The junction at the centre of town will likely flow better with traffic if it was just coming from two ways rather than the current three directions which causes congestion. — Only remove a relatively small number of parking spaces compared to the car parks on both sides of the street. — Have no effect on car parks at AIB Bank or Bank of Ireland or the taxi rank. Some people objecting to changes like this is normal around the world, but a small number of businesses and residents objecting to this should not be allowed to stall this as happens with so much else in Ballina, especially given the strong public health reasoning. When we’re over the current crisis and people don’t like it, it can be removed then. It is only around 140 metres of the street and the street is lined with car parks on both sides with access via laneways. More parking spaces for people who have disabilities or mobility issues can be provided at both ends of the street and near the pedestrian entrances in the car parks. Shot stay spaces can also be provided. The taxi rank outside AIB would not be changed. As other towns have shown, this can be done quickly and cheaply with a mix of planters and bollards. It does not require much funding but if the council requires funding, there is national funding available for post-lockdown mobility measures like this. This was not tried before (it was Tone Street) and for a trial to be meaningful it needs to be trialled for a month or two. In the first week or two traffic might increases as people get used to it, but that’s not a reason to pull the plug.

Remote learning is not a feasible long term substitute to in-school education. Re-opening of schools should be prioritised over the aviation and tourism industries.

Update: OPW have released this. All gates bar Knockmaroon open from Friday July 10th. Knockmaroon will open when works completed. Truly hope lessons can be learned from this and all stakeholders are considered in future planning. Thank you all for your support!! https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3500180506661143&id=132971523382075&anchor_composer=false Phoenix Park is a worldclass amenity to the people who live nearby, on day trips, and tourists alike. The decision to only have 2 gates open to vehicular traffic is seriously restricting access to the park. Traffic volumes are increasing now that we are coming out of lockdown. Congestion in the surrounding areas is already a huge issue. This will only increase with these access routes cut off without an alternative solution. It can now take up to an hour to get from one end of the park to the other ; particularly at weekends with increased demand for the Zoo, Farmleigh and the Visitor Centre. Engine emissions from cars sitting on Chesterfield Avenue must surely be offsetting any potential environmental gain. Parts of the Park will become no go areas due to their isolation. There are no plans for an increased OPW presence with the gate closures. This decision seems to have been rushed through with little forward thinking and engagement with local communities. Give the park back to the people and then work on alternatives to reduce car traffic.

The Covid crisis has shown that recreational space in rural Cork is scarce and this is especially true for the Cork-Bandon-Skibbereen area. But with quiet roads, more people were out cycling and walking than ever before, showing how eager we are to take up active travel. Let us build the infrastructure to support it. In Ireland, we are already seeing the effects of the next crisis we have to face: The climate crisis needs bold and quick action. This is a unique opportunity to support a shift in transport modes for Cork commuters while also creating recreation space close to the home of thousands of people. With electric bikes becoming more easily available, cycling is quickly gaining attraction as an affordable, accessible and healthy alternative to the commute by car. By providing an infrastructure separate from the N71 we would not only provide a safe route for cyclists. Motorists would profit from this change, too: By reducing the number of cars on the road we would improve traffic flow and move cyclists - often seen as obstacles by motorists - off the road. The more extensive the greenway, the more likely it will also have a positive impact on tourism, with knock-on effects for local businesses. We know how many people use the Waterford greenway and the positive effects it has on the region. By contributing to Irelands cycle network we could even attract international active tourism. As a historic railway, the touristic value of the greenway would be priceless. With many of the structures still intact the former railway would itself be an attraction. We do understand that there have been prior attempts at this undertaking that have been dismissed or delayed due to the costs involved. However we would like Cork County Council to address this with the same urgency, the dedication and the budget they would use for a motor-traffic-centered infrastructure project. This is one of the bold actions required to prepare Cork County for the future. There has also never been more funding made available for active travel than ever before. The investment would benefit a very broad set of people, including motorists. We would like Cork County Council do address this project as a matter of priority.

The insurance industry wreaks havoc on so many aspects of Irish life. Thanks to skyrocketing premiums; people have been put off the road, childcare has become too expensive, and small businesses are struggling to survive. A new law called the ‘Consumer Insurance Contracts Bill’ could help tilt the balance back towards ordinary people. But, even though the law has been passed and signed by the president - the sitting Minister for Finance says he won’t sign it because the insurance companies ‘could quit the market’. It seems the Minister is forgetting just how many drivers, small business owners and childcare centres are urgently at risk of losing everything because of massive insurance bills.

Imagine cycling safely from Cork University Hospital/Cork University Maternity Hospital to Grand Parade and on to the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, all the while separated from cars and HGV trucks by protective barriers. On the way you pass the Bon Secours Hospital, UCC and the Mercy University Hospital. Health care workers have always cycled to work, and between the various city hospital campuses. But during the COVID19 pandemic, they were given a glimpse of what it might be like to cycle safely on the then quieter streets. The traffic is back. Now as lockdown eases we urge Cork City Council to boldly implement measures that will protect us, and all citizens of Cork, who make these journeys. Clapping for healthcare workers is easy. Making the city better for all citizens requires vision and leadership. The people of Cork were recently asked through social media: Would you like to see your front-line healthcare workers protected on their way to and from work? The response was unanimous: YES! #CorkHospitalCycleway. A protected cycleway. If this is something you'd be interested in? We'd love to hear from you. Are you a healthcare worker, patient, student or local business? What would this mean to you? Where do you work? Tell us your story… We will pass on your views to the various executives in our hospitals, UCC, Cork City Council. Let us remember the recent losses and sacrifices made by our front-line workers, by enacting a real and positive change to transform our city into a healthier, safer and more caring place to live and work.

Growing local community, business and amenities.

The improvement in air quality and the reduction in vehicle traffic during the lockdown has been immense. Many more people are choosing to shop online rather than making needless journeys to shops; as a result, delivery trips have increased. It's easily possible for a single household to receive a delivery each day of the working week, sometimes multiple drops on a single day from different companies. Being able to declare a preference for deliveries to occur on specific days of the week would allow delivery firms to combine drops, to the benefit of road users and the quality of our air.

It is a health hazard and an environmental hazard. sewage plants have a capacity and this was deemed over capacity by Fingal County Council in 2005 they then added the equivalent of 150 septic tanks to the plant and are now about to add another 43 septic tanks and a 100 bed Nursing Home. F05A/0837 F11A/0116 F15A/0116 These three planning permission state the plant is beyond capacity. they can be viewed on https://www.fingal.ie/view-or-search-planning-applications

My name is Richard Hanlon a co-owner of Busyfeet & Coco Cafe Dublin's oldest Fair-trade Cafe on South William street established in 2001. My concern is the lack of availability of public toilets in Dublin's city centre currently and into the future, with only 2 public toilets operational at Connelly & Hueston stations for a city of 650k people at this time. The current crisis has accentuated the urgent issue of the city’s poor hygiene infrastructure which will have an adverse effect on both public health and the survival of city centre commercial areas.  Under the road map to reopen Ireland’s society and economy we will move from Phase 1 to Phase 2 on June 8th. This will mean significantly increased movement of citizens and an influx to the city which will be a major event within Dublin. This also will be a key economic turning point for the Dublin city center commerce, but due to ongoing restrictions there will be no accessible toilet or handwashing facilities for the public to use till Phase 3 June 28th. When some hospitality  and retailers  could allow access to their loos. As an SME operator of coffee shops in both the city centre and suburbs, I am acutely aware of my customers requirement for easily accessible toilets. It is also very clear that the demands between the city and suburbs are vastly different during these times. People using suburban hospitality venues such as neighbourhood cafes for takeaway are within easy access of their own homes and bathroom facilities. The 20 days period between Phase 2 & 3 will be a pivotal time for businesses in the city, who badly need to reopen and help kickstart the economy. The “No Place to Go” feeling will be a negative consequence of having no temporary public toilets available from June 8th in Dublin city centre, making returning custom much less unlikely ‘A first impression is a lasting impression to a customer’.  In a survey more than half agreed that the lack of public toilets stopped them from going out as often as they would like. Any further loss to future trade in the coming months in the city centre will be devastating economically, pushing most businesses to bankruptcy. The ‘Urinary leash’ will not only hold back all of us from venturing into the city center but it will hold back the country.  There have been too many years of debating and deliberating about public toilets and in 2018 the Green Party hailed the achievement of 300k allocation of funds for public toilets, but this was never used and on the 25th May 2020 meetings with DCC called for temporary public toilets to be facilitated ahead of Phase 2 June 8th, but no budget or allocation could be agreed. Why is it so difficult to talk toilets in a modern age?  Dublin is Ireland’s economic engine and  250,000 people work in Dublin 1 and 2 alone.  On average, 300,000 people visit Dublin city centre each day, but with the expected drop in footfall due to working from home requirements, reduced transport capacity and social distancing the hospitality sector alone is looking to operate at a maximum of c.45% capacity.  We could be looking at up to 150,000 less people a day, which will mean the closure of many.  Without the hospitality sector there will be no adequate toilet facilities within Dublin City, so we must come up with a solution for both short term and long term so we can maintain Dublin City as an attractive destination.  Who will return to the city centre, when they cannot find toilets and handwashing places during this COVID 19 crisis? Would you?  Without people, we have no commerce and Dublin has no future. Dublin City Council has to spend more than a penny now and act for the people of Dublin, so let's see them make a positive move soon and save our Dublin city’s heart from dirt, dereliction and disintegration. City councillors and local politicians are eager to promote the rapid implementation of pedestrianisation of central zones and push for increased cycling as an important step to our future, even during this current health emergency. However, we should be reminded of our past where cycling and public toilets were commonplace and interlinked as we travelled further from our home privies.  Does the council want to add to the increased unsanitary practices which are currently taking place in the city? Does the council want to force the public into a situation in which they are unable to wash their hands, when the HSE & our Taoiseach are telling us that it is essential to public health? DCC need to act swiftly or further compound the the ability of the city commercial areas to survive.

This amenity is very important and has been enjoyed by thousands of people during COVID-19 restriction as a safe place for recreation to walk and cycle with plenty of space for physical distancing. With the lifting of car restrictions onto the Causeway and the Wooden bridge of 18th May it will no longer be possible for the majority of people of all ages to continue to enjoy this amenity safely. Bull Island is an important protected biosphere and it should be kept free from air pollution. It is the stated aim of Dublin City Council to encourage cycling and walking.