Today ( Aug 27th 2020) another person has lost their life in Ireland's horrible Direct Provision system. It is time now for the 1.47 million Irish citizens outside of Ireland to push for change through whatever channels we can. Colm Brophy TD is Minister for the Diaspora and is the only voice we have and we must make our views clear to him - Céad Míle Fáilte is not conditional! Direct Provision was introduced as an emergency measure in 1999. Today there are 7,000 people living in direct provision. The current government coalition has committed to ending the Direct Provision System within their term however there has been limited communication about any action so far. Last week it was revealed The Department of Justice and Equality compiled daily reports of social media relating to Direct Provision, how much traction they had and how critical they were for the government. COVID-19 has again highlighted how unsafe this system is with multiple outbreaks in centres across the country. In recent times of crises, Irish governments have historically favoured austerity rather than investing in a social safety net. We have to pressure the government to deliver on their commitment by the end of their term AND ensure there are improved provisions to care for Asylum Seekers in the meantime. Irish people all over the world are given the opportunity to support our communities, to contribute to society, and to share our culture in our new homes so we want to remind you of this. Wherever you are, wherever you are from the Céad Míle Fáilte is not conditional. #DiasporaagainstDirectProvision Tag Minister for the Diaspora, Colm Brophy @brophytalks Tag Minister for Justice, Helene McEntee @HMcentee Tag Minister for Integration (DP disestablishment) Roderic O'Gorma @rodericogorman Tag Dept of Foreign Affairs @dfatirl Tage Dept of Justice @deptjusticIRL Tag MASI to show support @masi_asylum

In these times of Covid19 this will also help people to commute, get to school and exercise safely. Will provide a much nicer environment for the people in Sandymount similar to what has happened in Blackrock and DunLoaghaire. Will mean an end to the traffic jams we're seeing at rush hour. Will provide almost continuous cycle track along the south Dublin coast from Sandymount to Sandycove allowing kids, families and older people to move about safely.

The Athlone to Galway Greenway being routed through Ballinalsoe is essential to: - REJUVENATE much needed economic activity to revive a rural gateway to the west town and its surrounding hinterland. -STIMULATE huge tourism activity in the area creating sustainable employment and endless business opportunities. -ENCOURAGE health and well-being in the area to combat rising physical and mental health issues.

From the example of the UK, we can see just how disastrous school profiling would be for a large amount of students. 39% of teacher predicted grades were downgraded by an algorithm, which could have robbed thousands of students of their futures (if not for the recent U-Turn of the British government). School profiling is frankly not an accurate assessment of student ability. All students, regardless of their background should be given the opportunity to excel in their leaving certificate without being held back by economic circumstances. Students should be assessed on their own ability and not the past performance of their schools. We recognise that we are a long way from solving the problem of inequality in our education system, but many of us are worried that this is a step backwards.

37% of A-Level students in NI have had their grades lowered, because of the 'standardisation' process put in place by CCEA. The Minister is feeling the pressure. Today (17th August) he announced that teachers grades would be used for the GCSE results. The Assembly has been recalled. Decisions are being made now by universities that will have huge repercussions for the lives and futures of students. Leaving it to the appeals process is not enough. Pupils in England, Scotland and Wales, have been guaranteed results no lower than their AS grades, or had their 'moderated' grades scrapped. Action must be taken now to fix the A-Levels Fiasco. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-53767773

The temporary cycle lane on Shannon Bridge implemented as part of the Council's 'Guiding Limerick Through Covid-19 Plan' has removed a full lane of inbound car traffic from the junction at Lower Shelbourne Road and Condell Road as far as the Dock Road roundabout. During the school term this roundabout is used by 25,000 cars daily, the northside of Limerick City cannot cope with one single lane of inbound traffic on this bridge. The junction at Lower Shelbourne Road onto Condell Road is already a bottleneck for traffic. It is a one-way turn towards Shannon Bridge so all traffic is going in the same direction. With only one lane for cars this will be a traffic nightmare. Using this junction is traffic for many schools such as Ard Scoil Ris secondary, Villiers secondary, Educate Together secondary, Salesians, JFK, and Gaelscoil Sairseal primary schools, plus Limerick Institute of Technology, as well as people on the northside travelling to schools in the city (e.g. the Model, the Project and Mary Immaculate College). We want to cycle safely across the bridge, but this is not the way to do it. People cycling down Mallow Street or from the Dock Road direction are not even using the new lane, they are still cycling out over the bridge on the left traffic lane - squeezing all incoming traffic into one lane coming against them is more dangerous for those cyclists. Please listen to people that are actually using this bridge on a daily basis. Motorists, passengers and cyclists. Older neighbourhoods is this area will suffer the most in this decision, traffic joining from Westfields and North Circular Road directions already wait in a tailback on school mornings to join traffic at Fernbank, this will get far worse. Traffic on the Condell Road will be worse as cars coming from Clonmacken meet traffic from Fernbank and all wait together to get over the bridge on that one single lane. This will cause huge delays, unnecessary mental health strain on everyone involved, and will be dangerous - and all for a cycle lane that isn't working. We request Limerick City & County Council restore the vehicle lane and remove the current setup, and instead implement proper cycle lanes instead of these "short-term measures on a temporary basis" as it is called in the Council's 'Guiding Limerick Through Covid-19 Plan'. https://www.limerick.ie/sites/default/files/media/documents/2020-07/limerick-city-and-county-council-guiding-limerick-through-covid-19-15-july-2020_0.pdf

During this pandemic, many of our green areas have been allowed to grow wild, with no council mowing ongoing. Which is great! Green areas have been allowed to flourish with flowers growing through them. Widespread population declines of bees and other pollinators from habitat loss are a growing concern. However, spontaneous flowers like dandelions and clover can provide pollen and nectar sources throughout the growing season....... Therefore, please don't mow, don't spray, let them grow!

It is important because as many of us it will be a once in a lifetime achievement which should be proudly received and celebrated not virtually.

Far too frequently, this supply line bursts and impacts upon thousands of people from Buncrana, Fahan, Inch, Tooban, Burnfoot, Bridgend, Muff, Netwoncunningham and Killea. This impacts on the way of life for thousands of residents. It affects out schools, medical facilities, community centres and businesses. It is simply unacceptable and would not be tolerated anywhere else in Ireland. We are simply calling for a consistent water supply as would be expected anywhere else.

As Covid 19 cases have started to rise again across the country and in Limerick it is vital that covid mobility measures, put in place to facilitate social distancing, are kept in place for the forseeable future. South Circular Road runs parallel to Ballinacurra and O'Connell Avenue in Limerick City. It is a residential street and over the past month as a result of these Covid mobility measures, locals, both living on the street and in the surrounding neighbourhoods, have found it a pleasure to walk or cycle along, to bump into neighbours and have a chat in the open air, at a socially safe distant, without battling the noise of heavy through traffic or risking their lives as cars speed through. This has all been facilitated by the new one way traffic system, blocking incoming traffic from the Dooradoyle side and preventing the use of the street as a rat run for people accessing the city centre. Now locals from South Circular Road itself and from the suburbs of Dooradoyle and Raheen can use it as a safe cycle route into the city, a quiet, comfortable walking route in the evenings and a place to meet and chat to each other. South Circular Road could become the ideal road for young people to cycle and walk to school when they return in a few weeks. Over 6,800 students attend university or primary or secondary school on the SCR and many more use it as an access route to other city centre schools. Many of the children attending these schools are local to the city but are driven to school or creche by anxious parents as there currently is no safe road for them to cycle or walk. South Circular Road can be that safe route - reducing traffic in the city, improving the quality of the air we all breathe, giving our young people confidence and independence as they make their own way to school and creating healthy habits that will last them a lifetime. For those that need to drive to school access is retained via the Dock road and Ballinacurra road. Please sign this petition to show Limerick City Council that the one way system needs to stay and that we, as the people of the city, are in agreement on this.

Approximately 30,000 residents between Knocknacarra, Barna and Salthill are suffering from the fact that there is no public transport service in operation, all routes have been suspended since the 23rd of March. It is imperative that the situation is fixed immediately before schools, colleges and even more business open back up, to prevent vast sections in the West of Galway City having no available means to commute. We implore the Minister to act now to ease the extreme difficulties this has caused the affected residents of Galway city.

The people who produce our food are often treated the worst in society. Now, they're being exposed to COVID-19 at work, and bosses are allowed to get away with it. It's time Minister for Health Stephen Donnolly took action to make meat factory bosses protect the people who work there.