People seeking refuge make up an important part of society, Irish people have flocked all over the world for generations and we cannot pull the ladder up behind us now that we are a thriving economy.  We want Kilkenny to be a safe and welcoming place for all residents.  We want Mayor Andrew McGuinness to very clearly state the differences between emergency accommodation for homeless people and the temporary accommodation provided during the asylum application process.  “An asylum seeker is a person who has left their country and is seeking protection from persecution and serious human rights violations in another country, but who hasn’t yet been legally recognized as a refugee and is waiting to receive a decision on their asylum claim. Seeking asylum is a human right. This means everyone should be allowed to enter another country to seek asylum. - Amnesty International” Emergency accommodation for homeless people is usually provided by County Councils and/or housing bodies. People seeking asylum are not taking a bed away from anyone and usually being accommodated in basic rooms like hotel rooms or previously empty buildings often without access to cooking or laundry facilities. People seeking asylum are not legally permitted to work during the asylum claim unless they have not recieved a first decision on their application for 6 months. They may recieve an expense allowance which is means tested. The rate for an adult is €38.80 per week (€5.54 per day) and are not entitled to recieve child benefit for their children.  People seeking refuge did not cause the housing crisis. A lack of investment in social housing and the overinflation of rental properties has. The reliance on private landlords through schemes like HAP have only encouraged this.  We have had a lack of investment in our health services for many years, not accepting new residents will not address this situation.  Please sign and share and let's make Kilkenny a safe and welcoming society again. 

Anyone who has seen our playground knows it needs improvement now! Broken equipment, crumbling astroturf, sharp corners and overgrown weeds just to mention a few points that lead to our only playground in the town to be a health and safety risk for our children. Our children deserve a safe and clean environment to play outdoors! The points mentioned above are proving this to be not the case therefore we implore you to do better for our community! The surrounding schools are more or less forced to use the playground for their July provisions on a daily basis because they have limited resources on the school grounds. The council have recently transformed the railway walk into a beautiful spot and we think our children would love the same care and effort put into improving their playground! Let's come together as a community and change this - Demand action to be taken immediately and improve the Ardee playground now!

Football unites us all. No matter who we are or where we come from, our beautiful game is for everyone, right across the world. While hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are under brutal attack by the IDF, Israel is allowed to continue to compete in football competitions.  Israeli players are not neutral -  joining the Israeli army is mandatory in order to become a football player in the national team, and Israeli players have proudly posted comments on social media such as “Why haven’t 200 tonnes of bombs already been dropped on Gaza?” and “We’ll erase Gaza permanently”, with no consequences imposed by the Israeli Football Association. [1] The chance to compete on the international stage is a privilege that should be reserved for states that do not commit genocide.  We, the undersigned, call on Interim FAI CEO David Courell to give the FAI’s support to the Palestinian Football Association’s call to suspend Israel from FIFA and UEFA.  Sources:  [1] FIFA's failure to ban Israel makes it complicit in Gaza genocide | The New Arab

Residents on IRP cards contribute a lot to taxes in Ireland and deserve the right to have a weekend away or holiday or travel for medical / family emergencies in the United Kingdom and Europe without hindrance. 

Being denied IVF treatment because of being HIV+ is discrimination and needs to change. HIV is no longer a death sentence illness. We have already gone through enough, and now being denied access to fertility treatments because of an archaic system is deeply unfair and further stigmatises people like me.  In countries across the EU, accessing fertility treatment as a HIV+ person is not an issue. In the past year people whose partners who are HIV+ can to access to IUI. This is amazing, but many of us need IVF for many other reasons.  I wrote about my experience in the Journal.ie https://www.thejournal.ie/hiv-women-ireland-6387696-Jul2024/ Listen to my interview on Cork 96 FM https://shows.acast.com/corks-96-fm-opinion-line/episodes/woman-with-hiv-on-struggle-to-get-fertility-treatment-in-ire

It has been established that a full 26% of Irish workers are considered the working poor, earning less than minimum wage,  another 28% earn between 15K and 30K.  More than half of the workforce. All of these workers are severely disadvantaged by the loophole in the legislation. 

Playgrounds are the heart of a community and an indispensable gathering space that can benefit everyone. They provide children the opportunity to practice and hone key skills including social, emotional, cognitive and physical.  Every estate should have playgrounds easily accessible to all children in the area.

Kingswood Football Club has 7 teams with no local pitch to play on. We have been told we can train and play on pitches in Tymon Park, which is 4km away, but this would leave behind kids who don't have a parent to drive them. 

Joining our campaign supports fairness by eliminating employment barriers for non-EU PhD students' spouses, who are crucial in helping their partners’ studies. This change will make Ireland more attractive to top talent, strengthen the economy with diverse skills, and foster social integration. It also alleviates financial strain on students, enhancing their research focus. Advocating for this change sets a positive example of solidarity and inclusivity. Sign the petition to help make a difference for these families and promote a fairer society.

 Joining our campaign supports fairness and equality by eliminating employment barriers for non-EU PhD students' spouses, who play a crucial role in supporting their partners’ academic pursuits. This change will enhance Ireland’s global appeal, making it a more attractive destination for top talent and strengthening the economy by bringing diverse skills into the workforce. Additionally, it fosters social integration, enriches cultural diversity, and alleviates financial strain on PhD students, allowing them to focus on their research. Advocating for this change sets a positive example of solidarity and progressive policy, demonstrating Ireland’s commitment to inclusivity and encouraging similar measures globally. Sign the petition today to help make a significant difference in the lives of these families and promote a fairer, more inclusive society. 

Cork City Council already once denied planning permission back in June for proposals by a casino to expand into Ballincollig after receiving almost 50 objections from local residents and businesses. Locals in Ballincollig rally against the proposal, as another casino in town provides no benefits, encourages gambling and can lead to all sorts of negative behaviours.  SAY NO TO ANOTHER CASINO IN Ballincollig

The residents of Bluebell Woods in Oranmore kindly request that the Carnmore test route no longer use this residential estate as part of the official route. Since the Carnmore test centre opened in 2021, our estate and the front green in particular has been used on a continuous basis both by the official RSA testers and by learners practicing the 'reverse around the corner' manoeuvre. While the tests themselves take place during weekday working hours, the learners are liable to practice at this location at all times of the evening and at weekends. We oppose the use of our estate for this test activity. The front green in particular is an unsafe location for the reverse around the corner, due to the frequent use of the green by children at play, and the poor visibility due to trees and shrubs at the corner. There is a risk to safety here, not only because a learner driver cannot have full and unrestricted visibility, but any pedestrians trying to cross the road at this intersection may not notice a car reversing until it is too late. Several of our residents have witnessed dangerous reversing and submitted complaints directly to the RSA, but have had either no response at all or the responses have been unsatisfactory. Therefore, we are gathering signatures to make this request as a community, with the safety of our children and residents in mind. We call upon the RSA in Galway to find an alternative route for the driving test. Note: Header image shows a snippet of the Carnmore driving test route from the Test Routes app.