We live in different parts of Ireland, in communities both urban and rural, that experience the housing crisis in lots of different ways. By organising together in our own local communities we can help grow the swell of public support to homelessness once and for all. Our politicians all have to take responsibility for the housing crisis. We can pressure them to make this their top priority for 2017. They would like to Apollo House as a one off action and to wash their hands of any responsibility that led to the occupation. Together we can show them that Apollo house is a beacon for change and this struggle is from the bottom up.

We live in different parts of Ireland, in communities both urban and rural, that experience the housing crisis in lots of different ways. By organising together in our own local communities we can help grow the swell of public support to homelessness once and for all. Our politicians all have to take responsibility for the housing crisis. We can pressure them to make this their top priority for 2017. They would like to Apollo House as a one off action and to wash their hands of any responsibility that led to the occupation. Together we can show them that Apollo house is a beacon for change and this struggle is from the bottom up.

Civilians must be evacuated and afforded safe passage out of Aleppo. Our leaders must ensure the UN plan for evacuation is implemented.

The Shannon Estuary is one of the most important sites in Europe for bottlenose dolphins and was designated as a marine protected area in 2000, covering 684km2 from Limerick City, Kerry and Loop Head. Around 120 dolphins occur in the Shannon and have around 8 calves each year and are considered genetically different to other bottlenose dolphins in Ireland.This small but unique population has been studied for over 20 years by the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG). A recent study showed that bottlenose dolphins are regularly encountered in Tralee and Brandon Bays during the summer months. Using a technique called photo-identification, where individual dolphins are recognised by unique markings on their dorsal fins recorded from photographs, researchers recorded an extremely high number of dolphins from the Shannon population present in the bays. Nearly two-thirds of the current adult dolphin population estimate of 108 were identified in the study. Results showed a high percentage of Shannon dolphins were identified and re-sighted within the bays providing strong evidence that these areas represent significant habitats for the Shannon dolphins. The IWDG therefore have recommended that the boundary of the Lower River Shannon SAC be extended to include both Brandon Bay and Tralee Bays in order to provide legal protection of these habitats. The Lower River Shannon SAC was designated in order to protect the Shannon dolphin population. Therefore, its boundaries should include areas where these dolphins are known to regularly occur. Join us and support “North Kerry to be made a Marine Protected Area for bottlenose dolphins”!

I have seen the publication “How to save Moore Street – Campaign Proposal”. I fully endorse this proposal and I call on you to use whatever power you have at to make sure that this proposal or a similar proposal is implemented for the Moore Street Battlefield Site. I am deeply concerned by how the government and some opposition politicians' have acted in relation to the Moore Street area. This is an election issue for me. With an appeal brought by the Government, which if successful will lead to the destruction of what the National Museum called Ireland’s most historical site, how can I not be worried? Not only is this site of major historical importance and a site where our nation was born but it is also a location which could bring major economic and tourism benefits to the State. I will not benefit from another shopping centre, Ireland will not benefit from another shopping centre, but we would benefit from a Historical Cultural Quarter. That said I hope you respect Irish history, culture, the people who died so you could be elected and you respect Irish tourism and the economy by working towards building a Historical Cultural Quarter in this area as best you can. You should also respect the High Court judgement and ensure the appeal by the State is withdrawn in order to save the site.I am proud of Irish culture. We have some of the best musicians, painters, poets, writers and actors in the world. For such a small nation which was born from actions within Moore Street our cultural influence is remarkable. I believe we do not promote our own culture enough. I feel designating Moore Street as a Historical and Cultural Quarter where families can learn and be educated about our culture, whether it’s through history, poetry, writing or song is a necessity for Dublin. A Historical and Cultural Quarter for the thinking visitor.

At present, the Lord Mayor of Cork is elected by councillors ever year for a one year term. There is a different Lord Mayor every year. This means there's isn't consistency or time enough for a mayor to make their mark. It means the citizens of Cork don't have the chance to vote for a mayor with a vision for the city. A vision that only a mayor can put in action. It wasn't meant to be this way. In 2001, the law was changed so that Cork and other cities would have a directly-elected mayor serving for five-year terms. The first elections were supposed to happen in 2004 - but this was reversed at the last minute and things were left hanging. Now it's time to put the Cork mayor back on the agenda! An elected mayor will provide a vision for Cork. They will have a mandate from the citizens to see that vision through. They will oversee the day-to-day implementation of a city plan in ways that part-time councillors can't. We already have a full-time Lord Mayor, so this won't cost any money. And an elected mayor won't replace the council. It will reinvigorate the city and give the running of it renewed energy and direction. Add your name now and call for a directly-elected Mayor of Cork! #MayorOfCork Photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/psyberartist/

The GMIT Mayo campus is one of the foundation stones on which our community is built on. And has been since it first opened its doors in 1994. We must protect this vital resource for all the current students and the thousands of local and visiting students that could pass through its doors in the future.

Farmers markets across Cork are under threat. Skibbereen Farmers Market is a fundamental part of the food culture of West Cork. New bye laws will generally restrict and could alter the way our market is run - moving us away from being at the centre and soul of food innovation in Ireland towards a standardised heavily regulated stale industry. http://www.corkcoco.ie/co/web/Cork%20County%20Council/Departments/Planning/Casual%20Trading%20Laws A farmers market is the heart and soul of each community, village, town and local area....as unique and individual as the environment changes with each location. A farmers market is dynamic, changing and evolving with the seasons and times; we love this about Skibbereen and don't want it to change. The specific changes that these new bye laws will mean that the location will change, restrict the number of stalls and traders, force new rules on traders. All of this will mean result in the market loosing control and introduce a level of micromanaging that is unprecedented.

The WHO Constitution enshrines “…the highest attainable standard of health as a fundamental right of every human being.” And the right to health includes access to timely, acceptable and affordable health care of appropriate quality - yet here in County Clare our Health Services have been struck another blow with the decision by Shannondoc to scale back on the services they provide to Kilrush, Ennistymon & Killaloe - all three areas being geographically challenged in their own right. - how does the distance from Kilrush to Miltown Malbay (28km) on a bad road, Miltown to Limerick (68km) on an even worse road or the person who fall ill that lives in Kilbaha - which is 51km to Miltown or those in Ballyvaughan who have to travel 43km to Miltown - get them the highest attainable standard of Health that is their fundamental human right? We are all aware of the importance of the Golden Hour and unless these people break the speed limits there is no way on earth that the journey will be made within that Golden Hour - thereby the distance they are now required to travel has now increased thereby creating a higher risk to the patients health and well being The announcement from Shannon Doc refers to Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals - both hospitals which on the recommendation of the HIQA report just over seven years ago - were downgraded to make way for a so called ‘Centre of Excellence’ in Limerick University Hospital - and the 24hr A&E service was downgraded to a 12hr A&E service 8am-8pm - so these patients of the out of hour Shannon Doc will more than likely be referred to Limerick if needs be hence the importance of the Rapid Response Vehicles which we are also informed are under review in both Clare and Tipperary. We are now looking for what is our fundamental right per the World Health Organization - We in Clare demand that all services be restored to Kilrush, Ennistymon and Killaloe forthwith and that the re-opening of a 24hr A&E in Ennis General Hospital be put on the agenda and followed up. In this the 21st Century - every county in the country should have on its doorstep ‘a fully manned general hospital and accident and emergency department’ We are not asking for the services to be restored for just the people of Clare but for every man, woman and child who may and do visit the area throughout the year and especially during holiday times - that may have the misfortune to fall ill - that they can be rest assured that there are adequate health services in the area or not that far away - NOT in the next County. Our health is our wealth - to play Russian roulette with our health is not acceptable. We believe that solutions are available and achievable with the co-operation of both GP's, Shannondoc, HSE, The Health Minister and the Department of Health, and the public themselves - all working and consulting together to find a solution.

Save Ardmore Studios – Our National Film Studio Considered a driving force of the Irish film and television industry Ardmore Studios in Bray, Co Wicklow have hosted filmmakers from around the world for the past 58 years and have helped to establish Ireland as a hub for filmmaking. The facility itself has sound stages, production offices, workshops, hair and makeup, props, wardrobe, catering and much more, not to mention the wider reaching impact for the local economy with external companies providing supporting services and facilities. In recent months it was announced that Ardmore Studios is to go on sale, Initially the sale was advertised as an ongoing concern with the function of the land and buildings to remain as they are. However, talks have begun to consider an unconditional sale, which simply put could mean that the land and buildings may be used for other purposes such as residential, commercial/retail etc. The repercussions of a sale on these terms would be felt by the industry as a whole, with the loss of thousands of jobs both directly and indirectly in the Wicklow/Dublin area and beyond. At present through Enterprise Ireland the government holds a 31.6% stake in Ardmore Studios, this stake can be seen as a reflection of a desire to support and grow the film and television industry in Ireland. Currently there is a serious shortage of studio space in the country, which has already resulted in multi million euro productions going elsewhere in Europe. In order to continue to be a competitive challenger in the market place and to ensure the growth of the industry, the government should move to maintain at least this 31.6% stake and and ensure that Ardmore Studios are sold as an ongoing concern Please sign and share

This bill will facilitate evictions, increase the power of landlords to evict tenants, & allow developers to build without any real regulation or consultation. What the Bill will do: - Give landlords the right to evict tenants if they feel they could charge more to new tenants. - Allow landlords to evict households who have been in their home and community for over 4 years with no extended notice. - Increase homelessness and put almost 25% of the population under constant threat of eviction. - Allow An Bord Pleanála to privately develop plans with private developers without public consultation. This will lead to unsuitable, untenable and unfinished housing developments nationwide. - Allow for developers to be compensated by up to €10,000 if their planning applications are delayed - an obscene waste of public money. We are in the grips of the worst housing crisis Ireland has seen in a century. However, there are 5,000 empty homes across South Dublin alone. This bill does nothing to tackle the problem of vacant properties, which affects every part of the country. This Bill directly steals from the pockets of a public struggling to keep their homes, to give to private developers and landlords. . This Bill is an obscene affront to the most basic right to a home, and is an insult to the thousands of families and individuals homeless and living on the streets and in cramped hotel rooms nationwide.

The proposed College Green Plaza will be an iconic civic space in the heart of Dublin - Ireland's capital. It has the potential to rival other great urban spaces like Dam Square in Amsterdam or Trafalgar Square in London. However to achieve this the expansion of the proposed extent of the College Green Plaza to the steps of the former Parliament building (now Bank of Ireland) is of paramount significance. Given that the tax paying citizens of the State funded the Bank Bailout, and Bank of Ireland is essentially now State owned this petition calls on that Bank to allow the expansion of College Green Plaza by removing Parking in the forecourt area as a gesture of goodwill towards the people of Ireland and its capital city. A recent public consultation on the proposed plaza at College Green heard that the railings at Bank of Ireland were private and would stay, while trees would be removed. It is therefore clear that retention of railings is to facilitate parking in the forecourt of the Bank. This is not in keeping with a pedestrian plaza and or the opening of a new cultural visitor centre at College Green in 2017 which will greatly enhance the amenity value of the College Green complex. While the present railings do have historic value they should not be used to curtail the extent of the plaza. With careful planning and your input College Green can become a focal point for our nation in the heart of our capital city and once again play host to historic public gatherings from the visit of President Obama in 2011 to rallies and marches in support of issues that matter to all of us. Please sign & share and have your say !