The use of plastic straws is unnecessary and inexcusable. The dramatic effect they have on ocean wildlife is disgusting and harmful. Plastic straws need to be banned

The “river god” statue chosen for Athlone misrepresents our native heritage and our rich culture. It would be an affront to our heritage and people to use colonial male object from Dublin to represent the Shannon and Athlone. The mythological Goddess Sionann, granddaughter of Lir, is our mythological river deity – not a concocted neo-classical god. Misappropriation of mythology and gender in a time of national subjugation is not acceptable as a modern representation of our town, nor is representation of the town on the backside of a statue. The concept of celebrating our river and our heritage is a welcome one and we call on the Council to do so by recognising our heritage – not replacing it. We call on Westmeath County Council to revoke its uninformed selection.

Women, children and men who are subjected to rape and sexual assault deserve the correct language to be used to highlight how disgusting and wrong rape and sexual assault is.

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DISTRESSED BORROWERS ARE CURRENTLY AFFECTED WITH A FURTHER 100,000-PLUS COMING DOWN THE TRACKS, NOW BEING DESCRIBED BY THE CENTRAL BANK AS NPE’S (NON-PERFORMING EXPOSURES)

Plastic waste is causing serious damage to our environment. Water dispensers would significantly cut down on plastic bottle use.

Sruthan House, located in Dundalk Co. Louth, provides a vital respite service for people with physical and/or sensory disabilities. It is run by the HSE in partnership with the Irish Wheelchair Association. The centre provides twenty four hour respite care to both males and females aged 18 – 65 years old. Without Sruthan House their only alternatives are in Sligo, Roscommon and Dublin. This is Fine Gael's latest attempt at eroding our nation's health service and it cannot continue.

There has been a number of serious and fatal accidents involving vehicles and pedestrians in Macroom town. Acting as a speed table, raised pedestrian crossings, has the added benefit of not only slowing traffic but making it easier to see pedestrians crossing the road. Speed zones where speeds are set at 30 km/h (or 20 mph) as they are found to be effective at reducing crashes increasing pedestrian safety and increasing community cohesion.

Bird Habitat is the last remaining natural area in Ennis town, and it is the center of attraction for our local community. The river bend in the center of town hosts various Birds, including; the Canadian geese and Greylag goose that have mixed with the Local Domestic goose, they are an affectionately viewed by us 'Ennis-eans' and passers by enjoy the entertaining display of the Mute Swans, Herons and Mallard ducks. We want our appreciation of nature as an inheritance for our future generation. Not only that, the Birds on the river Fergus enhance town's tourists attraction and are a center of interest for local business. Feeding the birds are a relaxing activity from the stress, and a quite time out for kids and parents on their way to and from the buzz of life.

Mining is a threat to the health and well being of the natural environment and that of the local community. Mining is a process that is hugely destructive to land, water and air and to all who require these for their continued healthy existence. In this era of Climate Emergency and rapid species loss the granting of licenses to prospect is very much a step in the wrong direction. It is at odds with the responsibilities of this government at this crucial time for the planet and all that live in it.

Last year, Electric Picnic revellers left behind 550 tonnes of rubbish (10kg per person), including tents, sleeping bags, headphones, and clothes in Stradbally, Co Laois. Each year, this mess is headline news at the end of the festival, yet the organisers (Festival Republic) do nothing to address the problem and continue to add more tickets year on year, making the problem worse over time. It's time to take a stand against these irresponsible practices and demand that Festival Republic do more to reverse the culture that encourages festival goers to trash our beautiful countryside at their events. Let's ask Festival Republic to have some rules about waste at Electric Picnic this year.

It's important because Ireland as a country and a people have a reputation of been caring towards animals a reputation that the RTE investigates programme seriously questions. Secondly because the irish taxpayer is giving this industry 16.5million euro every year which equates to a quarter of a billion since the early 2000's and as such the animals in question deserve proper treatment and care and if the bodies who control the sport don't want to then the taxpayer who funds it should hold them to account. Thirdly because precedent has been set Sports Ireland withdrew 3 million of funding from FAI over strange financial practices and a loan from its CEO to the organisation yet the Irish Greyhound Board gets 16.5 million to allow the practices highlighted in Wednesday RTE Investigates programme which for me it just as bad if not worse than what FAI were doing

See RTE Investigates documentary - it is unacceptable that Irish taxpayers are being asked to fund an industry that is rotten to its core and is responsible for barbaric, inhumane and unethical treatment of animals. Funding from our government is fueling the production of dogs for racing, many of whom end up inhumanely treated (including being boiled alive) and illegally culled. No public monies should find their way into the greyhound industry. For further information see: https://www.rte.ie/player/movie/rt%C3%A9-investigates-greyhounds-running-for-their-lives/104051751967 Note: the content of this documentary is profoundly disturbing and not for those sensitive to the abuse of sensient creatures.