We, the students and alumni of UCC’s BSc International Development, are petitioning Cork University Business School (CUBS) to prevent our program from moving into Temporary Cessation on the path to Permanent Cessation. CUBS claims their decision to discontinue the course is due to low engagement numbers. However, we believe this is simply a result of poor advertisement and under-representation on behalf of CUBS. The BSc International Development (IntDev) degree provides an opportunity to learn and act on critical local and global issues such as sustainability, poverty, health, education, aid and development, rural development, food systems, and the Sustainable Development Goals. IntDev is the only undergraduate degree of its kind in Ireland and is indispensable now more than ever because of contemporary matters of pandemics, conflict, and the climate crisis. This course is vital and is the foundation for generations of citizen activists who approach change through various ideological lenses and opportunities. Help us save it for future generations! With its loss, not only are students affected, but also alumni, professors, and other organisations that are looking for people's knowledge and experience in International Development. As the only undergraduate of its kind in Ireland, without it, students will be forced to travel abroad for this education. The degree directly reinforces UCC’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals and CUBS’ promise to ‘shape the leaders for a sustainable future.’ CUBS is squandering UCC’s opportunity to become a pioneer for International Development and Aid, an ethos Ireland heavily prides itself on. We implore CUBS to reconsider their decision and encourage them to make a greater effort to promote the course to future leaders at home and abroad. With proper funding and advertisement, International Development has the potential to become one of the foremost degrees in the country and UCC a hub for Aid and Development, but only if we can keep it from being cut. Save BSc International Development!

✍🏼… this criminal fraud investigation by An Garda Síochána can help unravel the “fraudulent misrepresentation” by the Vulture Funds

We need a woodland in Corca Dhuibhne to help act against climate change and to support biodiversity and our community's wellbeing - a space that will be of benefit to all. The Dingle Peninsula is a place of outstanding natural beauty, we are blessed with a rugged coastline, small sheltered coves, long sandy beaches, rolling hills, majestic mountains, cliffs, wetlands, valleys, lakes and much more, except we have no natural native woodlands. It is the one missing piece in the mosaic of our landscape. To get an immersion in a woodland habitat, residents of the peninsula need to (most likely) drive to Tralee or Castlemaine - our nearest woodlands and a journey of one hour. Our nearest forest, the south side of Killarney National Park, is an hour an a half away. There has been a desire to have a woodland on the western half of the peninsula for many years - this desire coalesced in a working group being formed in Dec 2020 but then the covid lockdown struck and the energy and cohesion dissipated. We are trying to revive the idea again, and the Kerry County Council Climate Action Fund might be an avenue to acquire land and the other necessary resources. We have built up a considerable stock of trees over the years, through seed collection outings, seed processing workshops and nursery care meitheals. Our nursery contains over 3000 native trees, which would be a great start to populate a couple of acres of land. Our vision is to have a native woodland for nature, to support biodiversity, and for the local community. It would be a great asset for the locality, locals and visitors alike, it will enhance our health, wellbeing, community cohesion and offer education possibilities for all ages. Get in touch if you want more information or if you want to be involved [email protected]

To prevent an accident as the speed the cars are driving is disgraceful

Flying has hugely damaging carbon impacts, and to travel overseas from Ireland, the only lower-carbon option is to take a ferry. Travelling by ferry as a foot passenger or cyclist is lower carbon than taking a motorised vehicle on the ferry. However, the ferry companies which provide services from Ireland to overseas prioritise passengers with motorised vehicles, and in many cases refuse services to cyclists and foot passengers. I have heard many stories from friends who can't get a ferry on a particular route or at a particular time simply because they are travelling without a motorised vehicle instead of with one. I experienced this myself recently on the Irish Ferries Pembroke-Rosslare route, when I decided to pay for a motorcycle ticket with the intention of cycling onto the ferry with my bicycle instead of a motor cycle, but was refused entry to the ferry, and forced to take a much longer and more complicated journey home. See: - https://cyclist.ie/2024/02/inexplicable-bikes-not-on-ferries-policy-highlighted/ (article on Irish Cycling Campaign website) - https://bit.ly/3OWaPCG (my video blog folder about this trip) Other cyclists have also documented their experiences as cyclists crossing the sea to and from Ireland, highlighting ferry companies' nonsensical policies on cyclists. https://philsturgeon.com/bikes-on-ferries/ - documents the nonsensical reasons given for refusal to take cyclists (P&O Ferries). I have heard from families who have been forced to pay a higher price for traveling without a car than than they would if they traveled with a car (Brittany Ferries). This petition: - calls on ferry companies operating from Ireland to provide services to cyclists and foot passengers on every ferry service on which they provide services to motorised cars and motorcycles. - calls on the National Transport Authority to make passenger ferry licenses conditional on non-discrimination against cyclists and foot passengers Please sign and share this petition. Thank you, Elaine Baker, cycling campaigner and environmental activist ( @ElaineActivism on twitter and mastodon, member of Irish Cycling Campaign http://cyclist.ie ).

The 350 bus service is highly used, connecting rural villages such as Kinvara, Ballinderreen, Ballyvaughan, Doolin and surrounding areas with Galway city. For many young people this is their only means of travel to Galway city, it is especially important to those attending university in town as with the housing crisis students often cannot afford or even find accommodation in town and rely on this service. Despite the amount of people this bus service should be serving, people are frequently left stranded at their bus stop due to the bus already being packed full at the Cliffs of Moher and other tourist attractions along the way. On several of occasions in the last two years I have waited up to an hour for the bus to arrive only for it to drive past the stop without even stopping in Kinvara, where more than ten people have been left to find alternative ways to town. This is especially frustrating to those trying to get the five o'clock bus on weekend days as the next bus does not come until 8. I was driven to make this petition with my friend Síofra when only today she was left stranded by a passing bus in Kinvara, for the third time since she has started university. Additionally, TFI provide this route with the lower capacity buses which have room for significantly less passengers than the buses used to serve Gort and its surrounding areas. The 350 bus route was referred to the Guardian as being "the most scenic bus route in Ireland" in 2022, as most of the route is now part of Discover Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way tour. While one can appreciate the push for tourists to avail of slow travel and it is wonderful to see our surrounding areas being promoted, the 350 bus service is not a luxury to us as locals, it is a necessity. Signing this petition is a demand for change from the National Transport Authority (TFI) to provide more frequent buses as there is a very clear demand for hourly bus services. I am sure if you ask any bus driver on this route they will be very familiar with this problem, but unfortunately it is not in their control to change this. It is up to the National Transport Authority to acknowledge this problem and resolve it with an increased servicing of this area. TFI are unlikely to attend to this issue without political power behind us as individuals, but collective action and a push from local Councillor Joe Byrne, Galway South-East TD's Ciarán Cannon, Séan Canney and Anne Rabbitte could be all we need for this change to happen. If you have been affected by the poor servicing, we understand your frustration! Please consider signing this petition, which will be presented to the relevant TDs and our local Councillor as well as TFI. Please also consider sharing this petition as I'm sure you know someone who has also experienced this. Thank you, Aoibhín and Síofra

Many of you will know my parents Thomas and Maura Walsh, they have lived at 31 Friar Street for the past 52 years, they take pride in their house and maintain it to a good standard. They have worked hard, pay their taxes including their property tax. They are adjoined to 30 Friar Street, once a historical building now vacant and left to ruin. Living next to a derelict building has a very negative impact if you are attached. 30 Friar Street has no roof therefore the weather is causing the interior of the building to collapse causing damp and infestation of rodents especially in the winter months. Going to bed every night not knowing if the wall your bed is against may collapse is very stressful for my parents. This is compounded by the concerns over the potential danger to pedestrians if the beam collapses and falls through one of the front windows onto Friar Street. My father has asked the town hall councillors for help over this matter for over three years. As there has been no action to remedy any of the safety concerns he has asked me to help. Since January 2023 we have contacted the Councillors at Youghal town hall, the Garda station, requested freedom of information (FOI), Ombudsman, Director of service, East Cork Municipal District officer, CEO Cork County Council. Ireland have a Derelict site act and a Local government (Sanitary Services) Act 1964 that can be served on behalf of the Town council to ensure the safety of buildings to prevent public liability. A notice was served to the owner of 30 Friar Street in September 2022 with 8 weeks to respond. The owners of the property did not respond to the request. My parents were told that under Tort law it is their responsibility for the upkeep of their property and to go after the owners themselves if the property is causing a nuisance! However the Director of Service has promised some remedial work but this has not happened. We have 25 vacant properties in Youghal and about 9 could be defined as derelict. Without the support of the Town Hall to use the law to protect this town and its residents these buildings are going to become liabilities for all and health and safety hazards for those in close proximity. As we have failed to progress this matter using all avenues available to us, resulting in no signs of a resolution or progress in any form, could we please ask for your help and support? 30 Friar Street is at risk of further deterioration and potential collapse in the coming months. The facade of the building is listed due to its historic interest. There are likely many other buildings across our town with similar fates. If you think that Cork County Council should prioritise the plight of derelict buildings, could you please sign this petition as putting pressure on this issue may support my parents and the health and safety risks they inevitability face as the building continues to deteriorate.

Student nurses in Ireland are working 12 hour shifts 3 days a week and aren’t paid a cent. They’re paying for their transport to and from placement and their meals whilst working. They deserve to be compensated for the money they’re spending. They play an important role in our healthcare system and are the future of our care.

As a parent and concerned resident of Youghal, I'm fearful for the safety of our children going to school daily with the lack of a footpath leading to the school from the bottom of the Newline to Pobail Scoil Na Trionoide. There are over 1,500 people attending the school daily including Children and staff. This makes for an extremely busy place. The right for our children to walk to school safely is not just about convenience, it's about their fundamental right as citizen. According to UNICEF's convention on the rights of the child (article19) governments must do all the can to protect our children from harm. I believe that this includes providing them with a safe route to and from school. Our school is growing annually, thus creating a greater risk of an accident. There is so much happening on Cork Hill. The largest portion of the town is living up there. Also very close to the school there are factories, industrial units, Hospital, Ambulance base, Petrol station, Athletic club, Rugby club, water tower several farms, planning for a health centre the list goes on. If this footpath was built it would take some pressure off Cork Hill and make the strand area more accessible to our children & all residents of our town. I understand that infrastructure projects like this require funding and planning, but I believe our children's safety should be prioritised. The project would benefit our community now and for future generations. I urge Cork County Council and our government to act now. CONSTRUCT A FOOTPATH TO OUR SCHOOL. By signing this petition you are standing up for the safety of Children and showing your support for making their journey safer every day........

This planning application has been the subject of chaos and confusion since it came before Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon (ABC) Borough Council’s Planning and Regulatory Services Committee in January. Despite council officers recommending permission be refused, elected members voted to approve the application. A number of members excluded themselves from voting after wrongly assuming that they weren't permitted to do so, having not attended a site visit. The algae and pollution at Lough Neagh has already caused people here great concern and fear. The Minister must use his powers to call this decision in, and refuse planning permission for the landfill site extension. Source: https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/environment/department-considering-call-in-on-controversial-lough-neagh-landfill-application/a1430311281.html?

Out of a potential electorate of 500,000+, only short of 113,000 are registered to vote, and of that number only just short of 39,000 used their votes in the 2020 election. We don’t believe that this can possibly represent a true reflection of the NUI Constituency electorate’s needs and views in Seanad Éireann. Furthermore, a vast graduate body is excluded from voting and has no representation at all, including, among others all former and existing IT colleges, DCU and teacher colleges to name but a few. We ask eligible voters to download, print and post the form register to vote, available here: https://www.nui.ie/elections/seanad-register.asp To share our campaign material through their channels and to contact and encourage their Colleges and Public Representatives to pledge their support and raise awareness. We are calling on the relevant Colleges and Public Representatives to pledge their support by signing this pledge, by using their platform to raise awareness and increase voter engagement. We ask that by pledging your support you also pledge commitment to ongoing reform and enfranchisement , specifically through calling for voter registration to be moved online, and to move to include all third level institution graduates are extended the entitlement to vote for candidates and representation in Seanad Éireann.

Roscommon is suffering from a chronic shortage of liveable homes, with virtually no new housing estates being developed. Our county is now officially the worst place in Ireland for new builds, according to the Irish Independent. To add insult to injury, there are more than 4,000 vacant homes in Roscommon. We call on Roscommon County Council to take action on vacancy and dereliction, to build more public homes, and to do more to encourage developers to build affordable homes in our county.