An International Boycott campaign aims to put pressure on Israel because of its racist occupation of Palestinian land and brutal treatment of the Palestinian people. This Boycott includes sport. UEFA has a commitment to anti-Racism and a tradition of promoting Fair Play. There is overwhelming evidence that the system instituted by the Israeli government against the Palestinian people meets the UN definition of Apartheid. (1) Israel doesn't do 'fair play' when it comes to soccer and Palestine. There are legitimate concerns that Israeli State Forces target Palestinian soccer players as shootings and maiming of youth players/ club players form a pattern going back over a number of years. Israel has bombed Palestinian football stadiums.(3) Lack of freedom to travel also severely restricts Palestinian soccer teams from being able to participate in the sport locally and internationally. This has even interfered with World Cup qualification.(4) The Israeli Football Association plays a role in supporting the illegal settlements which are a war crime under international law. (5) Some examples of what has happened already this year: *The Argentinean soccer team cancelled a friendly fixture with Israel. (6) *In March 2 youngsters were shot by the Israeli army in the West Bank One died. The other boy, aged 14 who was returning from football practice fortunately survived after being shot in the thigh. (8) *30th March 23-year-old football player Mohammad Khalil Obeid was shot in both knees as he filmed himself. The video, published on social media, shows the moment he was shot: standing in an isolated area, not posing any threat. He needs a knee replacement to be able to walk again. As a soccer player his life has been destroyed.(2) *This summer a Gaza children’s soccer team was unable to play in a kid’s tournament in Ireland because of travel restrictions. (7) *Large demonstrations met the Israeli soccer team in Belfast this September. (9) *Adidas withdrew its sponsorship of the Israel Football Association (10) Please, show your support for Palestinian rights and call on the FAI to stand up against apartheid and for fair play, equality and justice. thank-you, Knocknacarra Palestine Network ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (1) http://www.un.org/depts/dpa/qpal/docs/2012%20Geneva/P3%20mutaz%20qafisheh%20E.pdf (2) https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/israel-deliberate-attempts-military-kill-and-maim-gaza-protesters-continues (3) https://www.thenational.ae/opinion/a-footballing-test-for-israel-1.132370 (4) https://edition.cnn.com/2015/01/11/football/palestine-asian-cup-japan-football/index.html (5) https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/oct/13/fifa-ban-israel-settlement-football-teams (6) https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2018/0606/968505-argentina-cancel-israel-visit-for-world-cup-warm-up-tie/ (7) http://imemc.org/article/solidarity-cup-to-commence-despite-cancellation-of-gaza-kids-to-ireland-trip/ (8) http://imemc.org/article/israeli-soldiers-kill-a-young-palestinian-man-in-nablus/ (9) https://www.irishnews.com/news/2018/09/12/news/hundreds-turn-out-to-protest-at-northern-ireland-game-against-israel-1430702/ (10) https://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/BDS-Win-Adidas-No-Longer-Sponsoring-Israel-Football-Association-20180801-0009.html

Facebook should be regulated to prevent illegal private information use, personal data leaks, and to preserve individual privacy. Its a multi billion profit making company that more or less knows the details, behaviour and tastes of a majority of people in Ireland.

Independent childcare providers across Ireland face unfairly high levels of commercial rates on their business properties. Early Education and Childcare (EEC) is not the same—and cannot be treated the same—as other commercial enterprises. In many cases, independent EEC providers are administering and delivering publicly funded services, provided for under public sector schemes, but do not benefit from public sector tax rating. A level playing field where all EEC providers are exempt would ultimately benefit the State and the wider economy. The removal of commercial rates would enable these businesses to remain financially viable and provide an essential, quality service to children and their parents. Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone has recently called for cuts to rates for childcare facilities. Furthermore, we note the decision by the Welsh and Scottish Governments to exempt nurseries and crèches from commercial business rates in their respective countries. Seas Suas wholeheartedly supports these actions and now petitions the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe to follow suit here in Ireland. For us to make a difference, we need your voice in support. Help us alleviate the immense pressures on Ireland’s childcare system by signing our petition to Minister Donohoe and Minister Zappone, urging them to scrap commercial rates on EEC facilities in Budget 2019.

We are in a housing crisis. Many people living with disabilities are forced to share accommodation. Even if they share with strangers people living with disabilities are not eligible for the Household Benefits or Fuel Allowance Package. So people who depend on electricity for medical equipment are excluded because they share accommodation. It makes no sense and feels discriminatory. Allow people living with disabilities eligibility for €35 a month for electricity and for the fuel allowance for the winter. People living with disabilities didn't chose this life and deserve not to be punished for it.

Because the country has to look after workers not push us aside. It's retail staff in most companies and bar staff what have to do more then what is normal from a local shop. Sign this and make the government do what our hard earned taxes are paying for.

Is most of your income going on rent? Is it a struggle to have any money left over for a social life, a holiday in this lifetime, or to save anything after you've made rent? There is now a whole generation of people for whom security, having a home of their own or starting a family is starting to seem more and more like a pipe dream. Landlords have been taking advantage of the housing crisis to push up rent, with the average one bedroom apartment now at a shocking €1,459 per month in Dublin; €926 in Cork City; €848 in Galway City; €791 in Limerick City and €663 in Waterford City. This is appalling and must be stopped. Introduce real rent controls now!

I think that if you can learn Russian, Ancient Greek and Latin for your Leaving Cert then you should be able to learn a language that people born here speak as their first language. I also think that it would encourage students to learn Sign Language, even if it is just a non-curricular language that has to be studied outside of school. If more hearing people could speak sign language, the deaf community wouldn't be so isolated in society.

Diabetes is a disease that currently affects 425 million people worldwide - and HALF do not even know they have the disease, according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). There are different types of Diabetes, but the main two are Type 2 (95%) and Type 1 Diabetes (5%). (You can read up on the difference between the two here: https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/guide/types-of-diabetes ) Early diagnosis can be accomplished through relatively inexpensive testing of blood sugar - so why are both children and adults worldwide still dying of Diabetic Ketoacidosis? (Diabetic Ketoacidosis is a life threatening complication of Diabetes that occurs when your body produces high levels of blood acids called ketones. The condition develops when your body can't produce enough insulin, and can result in swelling of the brain, coma, and death. Read more here: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetic-ketoacidosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20371551 ) If medical professionals administered a simple finger prick as standard at every and any medical appointment, early detection could prevent these deaths. Routine Blood Glucose Checks should be as common as taking a patient's temperature or blood pressure, especially since half of all Diabetics remain undiagnosed and Diabetes in general is still rising globally (Estimated 620 million people by 2040).

The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) Council approved rules that will mean that 248 women- in their late 50's, with an average 35 years of experience working as qualified professionals, will lose their livelihoods. The new rules would restrict a qualified Pharmaceutical Assistant (PA) to working ONE HOUR PER DAY in the absence of a pharmacist, rendering the qualification worthless and the job position economically unsustainable. If the new rules are signed into law by the Minister for Health, PA's will no longer be able to provide professional cover for pharmacists’ day off. “It is not possible to get locum cover so if the PA can’t cover I may have to remain closed some Saturdays…It’s fairly disastrous for pharmacy in Ireland”, a pharmacist explains in research carried out to assess the impact of the rules on pharmacy services. PA's have worked on average 18 years in their present pharmacies and know their customers very well. Continuity of care is paramount to patients' health and safety. This is something that PA's offer but the PSI have totally disregarded and ignored this crucial cornerstone. PA's like Sarah explain how “I will be out of a job. I am only 60 and state pension only available at 67…I have two children in college…it will be a financial disaster…I need my work and my money “, Marie spoke of how “I still have a mortgage so am worried about keeping my family home as I am a widow with a disabled adult living with me” NO consideration or provision for compensation has been made by the PSI, in drafting these rules.

The National Transport Authority are responsible for expanding the Cork 'Coke Bikes' scheme. The scheme has been a huge success but it needs to be expanded to cover more of the city! Cork needs to send a clear message to Dublin to secure funding for this.

This is important as my home is currently under threat and i have two elderly parents living with me. I fell in to arrears and tried to engage with Ulster Bank however they threw me to the wolves. I am a tax payer, always have been and work hard to pay my debts and bills like anyone else. I live with the fear and shame of this everyday and feel a revolution is needed in this country for the government to sit up and take notice of what the irish people want.

The catholic church to date owes the state 1.3 billion and we still have survivors waiting on redress some of which have died waiting. The state cannot legally seize church assets because of this article in the constitution. Quite a number of our state funded schools an hospitals are owned by religious orders. The catholic church are not handing them over. The only option at present is for the state to compulsory purchase. This means the state would pay the church for property which the state should have always been in ownership of in the first place.