These are some of the worst incidents of abuse in the history of the Irish State. Many children died through neglect and ill-health and possibly physical abuse. All suffered. The State at the time knew this was taking place, but rather than shut them down, they paid these organisations to house those they deemed undesirable. Places like Westbank in Greystones were used as an illegal adoption agency and profited very handsomely out of it. Whilst victims of similar Catholic-run organisations have been recognised under the Redress Act 2002, no such move was made for those in Protestants homes, even though Bethany Home falls under every category for redress. Despite meeting members of the Bethany Home Survivors Group, Minister Zappone is still refusing to fast-track redress for these long-suffering people. Not many are left now and time is running out. https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/bethany-home-survivors-disappointed-over-governments-refusal-to-extend-fast-track-redress-scheme-927837.html

The Mother and Baby Homes Commission has found that there is a 'culture of “institutionalisation and human trafficking” has existed amongst various religious orders and State-funded institutions.' In light of the horrific news of the mass grave in Tuam, all other Mother and Baby Homes now need to be investigated. Only 14 Mother and Baby Homes and 4 County Homes are included within the Commission's Terms of Reference, but numerous people and organisations, including the United Nations and women who spent time in these homes, believe that the scope of the Commission's investigations should be widened.

On Tuesday or Wednesday of next week, the Joint Committee on Water will vote on whether they recommend water charges for “excessive use.” This will be a Trojan Horse for bringing in full water charges at a later date. So far 10 members of the 20 person water committee have committed to scrapping water charges and ending the domestic metering process. If one more member abstains or votes to scrap the charges, the Dail will be instructed to end metering and end water charges for good. We’re asking people to contact two members of the Committee who may support our position. Senator Grace O’Sullivan of the Civic Engagement Group and Deputy Noel Grealish, Independent TD for Galway West. We must convince these members to vote to scrap water charges: 1. If metered charges continue, eventually allowances will be reduced and full water charges will be introduced in time – meaning Ireland would have water poverty for the first time in our history. 2. Irish people are not wasteful with their water. In fact, we use less water than almost any other country in the EU consuming 25% less water than countries like the UK where they’ve had metered charges for almost 30 years. 3. There is a real problem with leaks in the system but only 3% of leaks come from the household side of the infrastructure. Funding should be directed to the public side where 97% of water is being leaked and also to district metering which could identify leaks. 4. A metering process for ‘excessive use’ makes no economic sense. Firstly, the ‘expert commission’ on water said there is no identifiable excessive use and using their formula for charging for excessive use would mean spending up to €300 million on a metering programme for a return of €27 million. This is a waste of valuable taxpayers money and would divert money from upgrading the real infrastructural problems. 5. The real agenda behind water charges is privatization. Should the metering process continue, there is no doubt that our water would be privatized in the future. 6. Article 1.9 of the CETA international trade agreement could provide for the privatization of our water in the future and having meters in place would facilitate this. 7. Two thirds of the Irish public voted for politicians who declared opposition to water charges. This is backed up by the Irish Times MRBI poll which shows that 64% of the population want the charges scrapped while only 34% want them continued. It is time to do the democratic will of the Irish electorate. For these reasons and more water charges must be abolished. We need you to contact Senator Grace O’Sullivan and Deputy Noel Grealish and demand they abstain or vote to end water charges for good. Noel Grealish TD - [email protected] Senator Grace O’Sullivan - [email protected] As Senator Grace O’Sullivan is representing the Civic Engagement Group on the Water Committee, it is important that we tell the other members of the Committee to support our call. The full Civic Engagement Group includes: Alice Mary Higgins – [email protected] Collette Kelleher – [email protected] Frances Black – [email protected] Lynn Ruane – [email protected] John Dolan – [email protected] Please sign this petition and share with everyone you know. We only have days to protect our human right to water and prevent future water poverty.

Scientific evidence shows that one drink impairs your ability to drive. RSA official figures show that 38% of fatal crashes are alcohol related. Drink driving is on the increase. In Co. Donegal alone the detection rate is up 50% even though the enforcement has reduced by 30%. The lives of innocent men women and children have been lost and thousands have been seriously injured, some injured so badly that their lives have been ruined due to the severity and extent of the injuries. Families are left grieving and bereft and in some cases family members lives are also changed forever as they become carers of the injured survivors.

Cycling offers a wide range of benefits to our society including reducing carbon emissions, relieving congestion, improving health and making our towns safer, more pleasant places to live and move about. Unfortunately, the resources allocated to cycling at present are nowhere near sufficient to make it a safe and normal activity for people of all ages and abilities. Therefore, we are calling on Minister Ross to: 1.) Allocate at least 10% of the Transport Budget to cycling. 2.) Implement the National Cycle Policy Framework in full. 3.) Take action to reduce transport emissions so that Ireland fulfils its obligations under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

The metges road which runs through Johnstown in County Meath is a hazard to all residents. Well in excess of 50% of motor vehicles that use this road do so at a speed that is well in excess of the 50km/h limit. This dangerous practice is putting lives at risk. There have already been a number of very serious accidents on this road in recent years. Do we have to wait until someone is killed before something is done? The solution is simple. The council need to approve and construct speed ramps which match the height and width of the existing raised pedestrian crossings. I have approached the council about this before, but I believe they will only act if more people speak up. Can you help me get this message to the council?

The lives of the asylum seekers depend on this 60 page form being filled in correctly. It will determine whether or not they will allowed to stay in the state. The 20 days deadline is causing fear and despair on asylum seekers. Most of them cannot get appointments from their solicitors for help. There has been no information sessions organised in most of the centres to inform asylum seekers. http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/questionnaires-cause-distress-for-people-in-direct-provision-1.2982616

Every single day workers in Ireland are denied their right to representation by their trade union. In workplaces like Dunnes Stores, Lidl and Aldi, workers are called to meetings with highly trained managers about their future at work, but are not allowed to bring a trade union representative with them. In IKEA, trade union representatives have been forcibly removed from the carpark for simply discussing workers’ rights. Trade Union representatives have been thrown off IFSC property trying to advise workers suffering from work related stress and complaints about breaches of working hours. The denial of access is an issue for workers across the private and public sector in a wide variety of roles from teachers, to finance workers to retail workers. The ‘Right to Access Bill’, if passed, would help re-balance power between employers and workers, especially low paid workers, and would reduce exploitation in the workplace. The Bill is based on legislation that exists in a number of other countries, including New Zealand and Australia and is considered to be international best practice. Being a member of a trade union is a fundamental human right, protected by the Irish Constitution, so why are workers denied representation by their union every single day? https://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=33226&&CatID=59 http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/media/committees/Low-Pay,-Decent-Work-and-a-Living-Wage.pdf

Because Castlerea Fire station has the largest area to cover. It covers Castlerea, Ballymoe, Ballintubber, Ballinagar, Fairymount, Loughlynn, Ballinlough, Williamstown, Glenamaddy, Castleplunket, Kilmurray, Cloobonife, Trien this side of Frenchpark and boardering Mayo and Galway. It has the most emergency calls in the county. People's lives are at risk.

A 17 year old school student has already been found guilty of false imprisonment – a verdict a barrister described as “a recipe for totalitarianism”. This related to an anti water charges protest in Jobstown, Tallaght in Dublin on 15 November 2014, where then Tánaiste Joan Burton’s car was delayed for 2 and ½ hours by a spontaneous community protest. The 18 adults now awaiting trial from April 2017 face sentences up to life imprisonment. The trials, which will be six to eight weeks long, themselves will place enormous stress and strain on the defendants. If jailed, families would be left in very difficult situations, with jobs lost and parents in prison. If TD Paul Murphy is jailed for more than six months, he will be removed as a TD, denying the democratic choice of the people of Dublin South West. The political establishment and the supportive media are desperate to tarnish the anti water charges movement as a violent, anti-democratic mob. By grossly misrepresenting and using what happened in Jobstown they want to weaken our democratic rights and so make it easier to impose economic inequality. The laws used to directly seize the Property Tax from wages or benefits as well the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) legislation used to rob the wages of pubic servants, show that this attack is real. The dirty smear campaign against Maurice McCabe by the Gardai tops, shows the lengths this rotten establishment are willing to go to shut down descent and opposition to the status quo. The definition of ‘false imprisonment’ is being changed and this affects everyone. Any temporary delay or obstruction at a protest or picket, which for example inconveniences a politician, could be deemed false imprisonment. This is about intimidating people and criminalising protest.

Around 300 million tons of plastic are produced globally each year, yet just 12 per cent is recyclable [1]. There are natural biodegradable alternatives to plastics available today so their ever increasing use can no longer be justified. The Feb. 2016 'New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics' report analysis indicates (i) that 95% of the value of plastic packaging material, worth $80-120 billion annually, is lost to the economy, and (ii) that, on the current track, there could be more plastics than fish in the ocean (by weight) by 2050. The most important voice of reason that a supermarket can hear is that of the customer. By signing this petition you are helping to get the message across to key decision makers in the grocery sector that you no longer want to be part of the planetary plastic problem. That you want alternatives so this massive problem can finally start to be addressed, so future generations have a cleaner world to live in free from the dangers that a plastic filled ocean represents. There is a large demand for plastic free options so retailers should benefit if facilitating this for customers. Retailers who take a lead on this should see increased brand value, positive word of mouth and greater customer loyalty. The need for innovation in this area will spur job creation and new inventions that will be good for the economy too. It is clear to see now that proper disposal of plastic is a burden on all parties involved, particularly for the natural environment that is already starting to break under the burden. The situation with plastics has gotten way out of hand and it is up to all parties involved to act now. [1] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2017/02/10/supermarkets-urged-create-plastic-free-aisle-every-store/

Stepping aside in light of the serious allegations of wrongdoing and interference with the administration of justice is important for our democracy and is in the interest of good policing. Those in positions of management and leadership in the Garda, the criminal justice system and the government need to absorb this request.