It's been a tragedy. Last week, those who called for a postponement of operations that could be planned and for the freeing up of hospital capacities were branded as fear-mongers. "Ireland is different!" Or "don't panic!" Were messages that we received. In the meantime, you seem to have understood, Mr Harris, that Ireland can quickly become Italy and it will have been foreseeable. Intensive care units, protective clothing and nursing staff were lacking in Italy, it’s the same for us. It doesn't make a difference, however, because even with existing beds and technology, who will care for patients in the intensive care units, who will operate the ventilators? Who will checks on them when they are in pain? Delayed action is of course very dangerous in a pandemic and costs lives! We hope that you have finally understood that nursing staff are the silver line between disaster and survival for our nation. We understand that you have started instructing hospital managers to involve pensioners and students in the process. First of all, it is not you who is solely responsible for this catastrophic situation, but also your predecessors. But nursing staff should have expected a little more substance in recent years than idle promises. One thing is becoming clearer than ever: you as minister for health have the task of ensuring that in a crisis situation nurses are safe and supported. Of course, we will not save the day now by continuing to work without proper recognition and a safe environment to work in. We call on you now to give very clear promises: nursing staff are a valuable asset that must now be protected and valued! It is a pity that this truth has not yet gotten through to everyone. Sometimes, sadly, it takes a crisis for the truth to be revealed. It seems that more than 20% of all infected cases are nursing staff. And you have left it up to individual hospitals to source protective gear. It may surprise you, but that's not how it works! This pandemic has been coming for weeks! It is also not the first globally spreading viral disease. As hard-working citizens we expected more preparation for this crisis. We call for Immediate organisation and supply of effective protective clothing taking into account all possibilities. In a state of emergency, you will promise to nationalise manufacturers of equipment and their suppliers to protect our nursing staff! Immediate suspension of all exams for care facilities in Ireland. Firstly, this is a possible source of infection, and secondly, everything must be avoided that, in this crisis situation, takes additional work time for the nursing staff, which is then missing in the care of the patients. Mobilisation of all nurses from these test authorities for use in practice. An immediate and reliable promise of a strong, state-funded wage supplement for everyone who can withstand this situation, who bring their children to emergency care groups, who work overtime, who cannot take breaks, who cannot comply with rest periods. An immediate commitment of significant wage increases for nurses, which must be at an entry-level salary of 4,000 euros. You can save the refinancing for the period after this crisis. We urge you! Without these measures, the ventilation machines will become redundant, because there will be no one left to operate them! Act now, Mr Harris, before it's too late.

No basis to unfairly discriminate one sector of society just because they are not married? Getting married is a choice not everyone is lucky enough or in a position to be in a couple. Why are our government penalising a part of society and reward another for getting married. This is legal discrimination and created inequality.

It is the most important thing in life it would reduce all of the issues across the bored if we are are going to fight for mental health we should start with the younger generations we need to give them tools to help others and help themselves it is fundamental to have something in our shcools at a young age

Because it means almost €2000.00 a year less in my pension. It is mostly women who are affected but there are some men who will loose out as well. I've lived in this country all my life and now I am being penalised. Can you help?

I have Muscular Dystrophy myself and have had to fight so hard, as have thousands of others, for the most basic things, From an accessible shower to basic walking aids. In fact I had to buy my own walker, as I was told there was a huge waiting list. This piece of equipment is vital for me to get around safely and now one of the wheels is not working on it. I and others want to have access to paid part-time work locally. Many among us are Hons Degree recent graduates.That is Level 8 and don't need other courses. It is very hard anyway to get into Level 9 courses locally full-time especially teaching as we find it next to impossible to find access to teaching practice in wide enough classrooms. Sadly that was my experience anyway in certain educational sectors.

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.

The finding of all defendants to be not guilty today is a victory for the #JobstownNotGuilty campaign. These seven people have had this hanging over them for over two years and have spent nine weeks in court. They are now vindicated and walk out of court proven to be protesters rather than the kidnappers Joan Burton and the Gardai said they were. What was exposed in court was as Sean Guerin SC said 'a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice'. It involved high-ranking Gardai telling lies in an attempt to present a protest as a kidnapping. This was a politically driven investigation vindictively designed to punish those who fought against water charges and wounded the political vanity of Joan Burton. It was an attempt to criminalise the largest movement of people power in decades, by presenting sit-down protests as false imprisonment. This is not over for any of us. Millions of euros were spent by the state in attempting to stand up the false charges of false imprisonment. A 17-year old was found guilty of false imprisonment on the same evidence in a judge-only court. That conviction should be overturned. Our fellow defendants face further charges including trumped-up charges of violent disorder in the coming months. Millions more will be wasted on pursuing them. All of these charges should now immediately be dropped and the attempts to criminalise protest should be stopped. Serious questions now need to be asked about the Garda conspiracy which saw Garda after Garda take the stand and tell blatant lies designed to incriminate protesters. Numerous Gardai took the stand to say they heard things that they couldn't possibly have heard, because they weren't said. The same Gardai failed to see things that did happen. It so happened that every false recollection served to bolster the prosecution case. Some of the lies were only shown up because of the existence of video footage that the Gardai didn't uncover. How high did this conspiracy go in Noirin O'Sullivan's Gardai? Large sections of the media effectively convicted us before our trial. Biased coverage against us continued in the course of the trial. Will those commentators who said we were guilty of false imprisonment now apologise and correct the record? Will the Labour Party apologise for its former leader attempting to criminalise a working class community and protest?

For equal treatment of people who are part of Irish society and who have contributed to building up our society even during the conflict, but who, because of partition and an oversight in the Good Friday Agreement may not get the same rights as they would, had they been living in the Republic. Brexit and Irish Citizenship Rights Campaign The aim: To secure an Irish citizenship right for non-Irish/non-British people with permanent right to reside and Indefinite Leave to Remain in NI for the free movement within EU Background Prior to the Belfast Agreement (the Agreement), the six counties in the North are part of the Ireland under Article 2 and 3 of 1937 Constitution. This means that ethnic minorities who were legally living and working in the North should has the same equal rights as an Irish citizen. Unfortunately, the Agreement has not reflected their Irish citizenship rights, as they contributed to the Northern Irish society during the conflicts, which is discriminatory under 1937 Constitution, the Belfast Agreement and applicable international human rights law. Moreover, the Agreement stated that any Irish or British born national has a right to dual nationality, and as per Annex 2, all persons born in NI to a parent who is otherwise entitled to reside in NI without any restriction. The right of adult i.e. parents or siblings of an Irish born child to Irish citizenship has not been covered by the Agreement which is also discriminatory. According to the Irish Citizenship and Nationality Act 2004 which implements the Agreement, any new born of ethnic minorities background before 1 January 2005 will automatically get the Irish citizenship. For those born after 1 January 2005 if either parent fulfils the criteria under 2004 Act, the new born will be an Irish. But ethnic minorities prior to the Agreement; and parents or siblings of Irish born children after the Agreement can only, on very special circumstances, apply for Irish citizenship, but this is at the discretion of the Minister for Justice and Equality. We firmly believe the principle of equality before the Law and non-discrimination under the 1937 Constitution, the Agreement and applicable international human rights law; and accordingly demand that ethnic minorities prior to the Agreement should automatically granted the Irish citizenship. Moreover, anyone who acquired the permanent residency and Indefinite Leave to Remain status under the UK immigration law in NI after the Agreement, has the same equal right to Irish citizenship in exercising Article 1 self-determination rights of the Agreement, as an Irish, British or both. The recent Supreme Court decision in United Kingdom on Brexit undermines the Agreement in which all the rights enshrined will be disappeared when Article 50 kicks in. Therefore, we need to protect the integrity of the Agreement. Our recommendations to the Irish government are as follows: • Protect the rights and the integrity of the Belfast Agreement; • To retain and to protect the Common Travel Area, under which people, animals and goods are freely to move; • To support a special status that based on the Agreement between Northern Ireland and EU which would ensure freed movement rights between Northern Ireland and EU member states; • To amend the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 2004 “anyone who acquired the permanent residency/Indefinite Leave to Remain/naturalised as British in NI has an equal right to the Irish citizenship”. Brexit and Irish Citizenship Rights Campaign Petition Letter: We, as the people of Ireland, demand that the Irish government: • Protect the rights and the integrity of the Belfast Agreement; • To retain and to protect the Common Travel Area, under which people, animals and goods are freely to move; • To support a special status that based on the Agreement between Northern Ireland and EU which would ensure freed movement rights between Northern Ireland and EU member states; • To amend the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 2004 “anyone who acquired the permanent residency/Indefinite Leave to Remain/naturalised as British in NI has an equal right to the Irish citizenship”. Signature: Date: Name (your full name): Your Postal code: Are you Irish or British citizen: Yes / No Are you ethnic minorities: Yes / No If yes, which ethnic group are you belonged to: Return this signature slip to the following address: Contact Email: