The EU should not be acquiring military capabilities or competences - it is not a military organisation and neutral member states such as Ireland should not be expected to support in any way a military infrastructure that is incompatible with the peaceful resolution of international disputes. Ireland should continue its tradition of peacekeeping within UN-mandated operations only and should refuse to participate in or support increasingly militaristic EU operations as well as ever growing military expenditure.

Pay-by-weight bin charges are being introduced across Dublin, and will become mandatory in September. Since the bins were privatised, we’ve had waivers for those on low incomes removed, fees hiked up, and service quality deteriorate. Pay-by-weight will lead to even higher charges for all of us. Pay-by-weight has nothing to do with protecting the environment. The biggest ‘polluters’ are not us, ordinary households, but the mega-companies that profit off selling products with far too much packaging. In fact, Irish households are good recyclers already. We have the second lowest household waste generation in the EU-15. Between 2008 and 2014, household waste generation fell by 12%, while across the EU it fell by only 6%. Nothing except a publicly-owned waste collection service will work. With public control, decisions regarding pick-ups, recycling and charges become democratically accountable. Without this, we will always be chasing rogue employers with poor working conditions - even with a regulator. The cost to the state of providing a decent bin public service would be in the region of €375 million. This is more than affordable. But in fact, it doesn't have to cost us that. Waste management is a profitable industry. The state could take over the profitable recycling activities that, currently, private companies make an awful lot of money from. In countries like Sweden, this already happens. Like with the water charges, we need to make it clear to our government that we want decent public services, paid for through fair taxation – not outrageous charges to private companies.

We the undersigned believe that the decision of Callan Community Network (CCN) to issue a formal Notice to Quit to the Droichead FRC is clear evidence that CCN is now unwilling to resolve the current difficulties through meaningful dialogue. Prior to issing the eviction order CCN have also previously walked away from talks with Droichead FRC & the Friary Trust. The Board of Directors of Droichead FRC have always engaged in a positive and progressive manner and at all times have acted in the best interests of those families who use the community childcare facility and the wider Callan community generally. The decision by CCN to issue a formal Notice to Quit has jeopardised the long-standing community childcare service, placed several jobs under threat and has caused significant distress to the service provider, its employees and dozens of local families. In addition, CCN has, to date, ignored repeated calls from service users, local residents and a number of public representative’s to formally withdraw the Notice to Quit. We therefore request that they issue a public statement of resignation within 14 days being supplied with this petition and signatures. This, we believe, is the only avenue available to us that will protect the future of our community childcare service, its employees and service users from further distress and uncertainty. We will be submitting signatures along with a letter requesting resignation.

Homeless people suffer more ill health than the housed population and therefore have a higher need for prescription medication. Many homeless people cannot afford the €2.50 prescription charge payable on every item. Homeless health services repeatedly come across homeless patients who cannot afford their medication and so may not complete a course of antibiotics or take heparin for a clot. They often end up in hospital because of this. Homeless people are registered with local authorities and therefore it is possible to identify individuals so they are exempt from this charge.

Community employment Supervisors were awarded a Managerial pension in 2008 by the Labour Court and haven't received it yet. So many supervisors have retired since 1994 to date and todate have received nothing.

Ireland signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in 2007. Ireland has yet to ratify the Convention 10 years later and is shamefully the only EU state not to have done so. Fianna Fail, the PD's,The Green Party, Fine Gael, The Labour Party and Independents including Finian McGrath Minister of State with Responsibilities for Disability have shared power during this period. While the convention contains no new rights,what it does is bring together in one document, all existing rights in other conventions and international human rights and treaties, that give equal status to persons with disabilities. If the UNCRPD were ratified what would this mean? For example cuts to services that would prohibit a person with a disability playing an equal role as a citizen of the Republic of Ireland and in their community would be in breech of an international convention. Many cuts to Disability Services occurred during the economic downturn from 2007. There are around 600,000 people with disabilities currently living in the Republic of Ireland. They deserve equal status . Please sign our petition and share with your friends. Disability Rights for Ireland Right Now. South Tipperary Disability Groups Forum

Freedom of speech is vital.

Syrian refugees are coming to Ireland in increasing numbers. There is a need for reception centres to provide accommodation and services to help refugees settle successfully in Ireland. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/ireland/hotel-owner-blocks-plan-to-house-syrian-refugees-qbltd8c8n

People lives are being put at risk with no 24/7 service available within the golden 90 minutes. We should not be forced to pass a fully equipped Cath Lab in Waterford to be sent in an ambulance to Cork or Dublin?

Inadequate advertising took place for the issue of this licence. No public consultation meetings were held to inform the residents of Bantry Bay of this proposed mechanical harvest by a company from Tralee. No regard is being shown to the pristine marine environment in Bantry Bay which is home to many species protected by Irish, European and International legislation i.e. White Tailed Eagles, Otters, Choughs to name but a few. An Environmental Impact Assessment is not required for this licence! An extensive Environmental Impact Assessment should be done before any mechanical harvesting of native kelp is allowed in any Irish coastal waters. No regard has been shown for the people who rely on tourism and marine activities such as fishing in the bay to make a living. The Kelp forest slows the wave action approaching the land, so removal of this kelp forest may lead to more coastal erosion along the Bantry Bay coast.

English Language teachers generally lack basic workers’ rights such as sick and holiday pay, pay scales, payment for training/professional development, permanent contracts/ contracts of indefinite duration (regardless of length of service), maternity/paternity pay, and access to pensions. The Unite ELT branch committee have requested a meeting with minister Richard Bruton which has been refused. We are asking you to support our campaign calling on the minister to meet with representatives of English Language Teachers to discuss regulations governing basic working conditions for teachers.

Galway City Council is planning to evict 10 families from Cúl Trá halting site in Lower Salthill, Galway leaving them homeless and with no alternative culturally appropriate accommodation.[1] This eviction would make over 42 people homeless including 22 children aged between 4 months and 10 years, some with medical conditions such as cystic fibrosis. The families were issued a notice to vacate by June 5th and Galway City Council has said it will consider court action if the ten families do not leave the site. Galway City Council has been well aware of overcrowding on Cúl Trá site for over a decade and yet no alternative halting site accommodation has been developed.[2] The Cúl Trá site was built 21 years ago to accommodate 6 families. No new halting site has been built in the city since. The 10 families that were served notices to vacate are the children of the 6 original families and have spent their whole lives living on the site. The families are part of the Salthill community with children attending local schools. One resident said that the children are the “heart and soul” of the community. If families are evicted they will be forced to leave their community and live on the side of the road without basic amenities. Kathleen Ward, one of the residents said; “The site is a fire and safety issue but isn’t it a fire and safety issue to put us out on the side of the road? We have nowhere to go”.[3] Galway City Council has proposed 3 pieces of land for temporary halting sites to address the Traveller accommodation crisis. Areas identified for the proposed sites are Ballymoneen Road, Headford Road and Westside. However, at a public council meeting, some local councillors have objected to these proposed halting sites. We are calling on Brendan McGrath to stop the Cúl Trá evictions and to use his executive powers to develop the proposed halting sites in Galway city. Notes 1. Galway City Council has a legal obligation to provide culturally appropriate accommodation under the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998. 2. The need for additional halting sites to provide accommodation for the families at risk of eviction has been included in successive Traveller Accommodation Programmes however no new halting site has been built. 3. In 2016, in the wake of the Carrickmines tragedy, a fire safety audit of Traveller specific accommodation was conducted by The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management and a report was compiled with recommendations to address fire safety issues. This report recommended that measures to address fire safety should not be used to address overcrowding or other broader site management issues.