At this time of international pandemic we would ask you and the other foreign ministers of the EU to seek a relaxation of the trade blockade by the US to end its blockade immediately, or at the very least to temporarily suspend it to allow vital supplies of food, fuel and medical equipment to the Cuban people allowing them to fight the coronavirus at home and abroad. As the world fights an international battle against the coronavirus pandemic, Cuba has once again proved itself a paragon of internationalism and solidarity. In recent days the island has sent highly skilled medical brigades to many countries including Italy, Grenada, Jamaica, Nicaragua and Venezuela to support foreign health services overwhelmed by the scale of the crisis. On 18 March the Cuban government offered safe haven to passengers of the stricken British cruise ship MS Braemar allowing it to dock in Havana when many other countries had refused. It has also made its anti-viral drug Interferon Alfa-2b available to nations around the world to help in the treatment of patients infected with COVID-19.The island’s altruistic response to the global emergency continues a long history of Cuban humanitarianism. In the last 56 years 400,000 Cuban health workers have responded to natural disasters and helped build health services in 164 nations. This includes sending medical brigades to Pakistan in the aftermath of the Kashmiri earthquake (2005), to Haiti to assist with the devastating cholera outbreak following the earthquake (2010), and to West Africa in the region’s fight against Ebola (2015). Cuba has also trained 35,613 health professionals from 138 countries at its Latin American Medical School since 1998, where many members of the Irish Cuban Solidarity Alliance have visited. At the same time the island has suffered the effects of the 58-year old criminal United States blockade which causes daily shortages of food, fuel and other basic necessities. Last year the cost to the Cuban health sector alone amounted to more than $104 million. As we write, Cuba is itself combating the spread of coronavirus within its own population and needs access of medical equipment and resources to safeguard the well-being of its most vulnerable citizens. Cuba has always put the humanitarian needs of people first, regardless or borders or politics. At this time of international crisis, the US blockade is criminal, not only for its impact on the Cuban people, but also for hindering their ability to assist in the worldwide battle against the virus.

Link to full statement and list of demands: https://tinyurl.com/swe4f8p How to support: > Pledge to boycott the awards & the awards’ outcomes online > Support the boycott by usings our images on your social media > Share the boycott using the hashtag #ARTSBLACKOUT #COVIDARTSCRISIS Twitter - @BLACKOUT_ARTS Instagram - @Arts_Blackout In place of the schemes proposed by the Department of Culture, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht, we are issuing the following demands. We have formulated these in consultation with artists and arts workers across the sector and invite artists participating in the boycott to submit their own demands. Please email [email protected] DEMANDS 1. For the Department of Social Protection to streamline access for artists and arts workers to the COVID-19 Unemployment Payment. A letter of reference from any Irish cultural organisation or venue should be accepted as evidence of working in the sector. 2. For the Government to begin setting up a Universal Basic Income Scheme through a pilot scheme for sole traders, arts workers, the underemployed, the unemployed and the community volunteering sector. 3. For at least a €10 million COVID-19 emergency fund to be made available to the Department of Culture, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht. 4. For the Department of Culture, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht to seek out sustained and meaningful consultation with artists from across the sector. To initiate a far-reaching debate on the current nature of the status of the artist with a view to ensuring the sustainability of artists' careers, practices and activities, as well as artists’ freedom of expression, social and financial recognition, and individual well-being. 5. For all publicly funded COVID-19 Art Schemes to take into account the different circumstances of artists in regards to space, time, materials and favour no particular medium, style, or type of practice. For equality and inclusion to be at the centre of decision making. 6. For all publicly funded cultural organisations to honour artist payments that were contracted to take place during the COVID-19 emergency measures, regardless of the status of work 7. For the Arts Council of Ireland and Local Authority Arts Offices to introduce non-competitive awards during the crisis and distribute funds to applicants equally. 8. For the Arts Council of Ireland to release funds to finance rent on studios, rehearsal spaces, and vital production spaces, to ensure that artists are not charged rent during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Gardens have the capacity to maintain the physical distancing and hygiene practices necessary to combat the spread of COVID-19. Community Gardens and Allotments provide for a wide scope of citizens, including low-income and marginalised people, allowing them access to organically grown, sustainable, healthy food, which might be out of their budget to purchase otherwise. We are at the start of growing season and many rely on food crops from their extended gardens to sustain them in the coming months therefore the closure notice served at the end of March hits many with additional frustration on top of ongoing situation in the society. Complete closure order from the council will inevitably lead to unnecessary food waste, but what is the worst - depression may take people's lives in an already stressful situation when many lost their jobs, or part of income, due to Covid-19. We must protect the vulnerable who find refuge and hope in growing a garden. The Local Councils must work towards improving access to HEALTHY, LOCALLY grown food in a SAFE space, while maintaining necessary precautions regarding spread of Covid-19. We can’t afford to deepen the antagonism in our society, particularly during a public health crisis. COMMUNITY GARDENS AND ALLOTMENTS ARE ESSENTIAL.

This is critical now with the Coronavirus that we're already down on episodes and it would be amazing on the days that Fair City can't air, that it would give everyone a lift & a trip down memory lane!

Clusters of COVID-19 are emerging in Nursing homes across the country putting very vulnerable people at risk. In order to protect residents and to cut down on the number of infections, staff in Nursing homes need to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at all times irrespective of whether or not they themselves are symptomatic.

With our unemployment rate suddenly jumping, now more than ever, we need to set a vision for a brighter future. We need to really leverage the power of remote work, and make any employment that becomes available, available to all - especially the hardest hit communties. When jobs are advertised without a location, they become available to people in our local communties anywhere. This means that people can work, live and participate locally and keep our communties thriving. Grow Remote is an award winning social enterprise that has spent the last two years mapping remote companies. We've noticed that during Covid-19, companies are beginning to speak about remote work and their own policies, they're telling us they've always hired remotely. The problem we face is that the traditional jobs boards don't allow these companies to advertise in every community. That means that these jobs become invisible to our communties. Knowing which companies hire remotely is life changing for these people and communties. Our ask is this - if you're hiring now and open to remote, pledge a job, and let us know so we can promote it. You don't need to change your current recruitment practices - just leave this part to us. If you're not hiring now but will do in the future and now intend to advertise that location-less, please pledge to advertise the next role you have location-less.

We need these measures implemented immediately. Students have been laid off, many cannot survive off their maintenance loans alone, while others do not receive maintenance support. They cannot apply for universal credit and university Hardship/Support Funds are only limited pots of money that cannot support students through the entirety of this crisis. Landlords and letting agencies are still expecting students renters to pay their rent, and a number of students have received emails threatening court action if they cannot afford to pay their rent. One letting agent suggested that students not paying their rent would contribute to the collapse of the global economy. Many students simply cannot pay their rent, and they cannot be left behind during this pandemic. We deserve clarity and protection from this Executive. #NoStudentLeftBehind

Every person that has to go out to work at this time is putting theirs and their families health at risk for the sake of others needs. 10% pay rise backdated from March 9th is a very small compensation for that but at least shows SOME appreciation for staff during this time.

Due to the coronavirus schools across Ireland have been cancelled, despite this the second years are still having to complete the CBAs (classroom based assessments). This is unfair as every other year group that have completed them received a better opportunity to get help. The current second years deserve the same platform that previous students have had. Because of the current situation, there is a lot of unnecessary stress and confusion being caused.

Our government needs to make a commitment of immediate financial support of €400,000 along with ongoing state support in whatever means that you deem appropriate and most beneficial to all involved, on behalf of my government to the Irish Community Rapid Response (ICRR) Air Ambulance in Rathcoole, Co. Cork as they now only have funding remaining for the next few days, or it risks grounding the helicopter and it’s vital lifesaving air ambulance across Ireland that has saved countless lives. These services reaches communities that ground ambulances cannot or cannot without great difficulties.

The outbreak of #COVID-19 has clearly placed HCWs at risk. Infection with 2019-nCoV has been detected in 375 HCWs, 26% of cases (as at 25 March 2020) and 1 HCW has died. #COVID-19 is spread through both direct (droplet and person-to-person) as well as indirect contact (contaminated objects and airborne transmission). This supports the use of airborne isolation precautions. 🇮🇪 #PPE4HCW ☘️ MEDICAL EVIDENCE SUPPORTING #PPE4HCW: The virus is spread by direct transmission (cough, sneeze, droplet inhalation), contact transmission (oral, nasal, and eye mucous membranes) and in the gastrointestinal tract, urine and stools (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924857920300984) The NEJM published evidence of aerosol transmission on 17 March 2020. Analysis of droplet, aerosol and surfaces found that CoV-19 could be detected in: aerosols in a relatively closed environment up to 3 hours post aerosolization, up to 4 hours on copper, up to 24 hours cardboard and up to 2-3 days on plastic and stainless steel (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2004973) One study from Nebraska found extensive levels of virus contamination in hospitals and on equipment for up to 2 days thus posing a clear infection risk to HCW (https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.23.20039446v2.full.pdf) 🇮🇪 #PPE4HCW ☘️ This evidence solidly confirms that is vital that PPE including eyewear or face shield should be worn throughout the treatment and disinfected between patients. 🇮🇪 #PPE4HCW ☘️

Renters reasonable demands for an amnesty on rent payments for private and local authority tenants for the duration of the public health emergency were ignored. Renters, many of whom who lost their jobs recently are now left with heightened and totally unnecessary action. The Government's solution is to stress about paying their rent and must take more of our public wealth to private Landlords such as HAP and rent supplement to further enrich Landlords instead of redirecting the funds for example into a Welfare fund for workers who have lost their jobs. We call on all renters to support the call in solidarity with each other for a Nationwide Rent Strike.