Amazon is destroying millions of items of unsold stock, dumping products in good condition, destroying environment and filling landfills. It's time to ban this exploitation. https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/commentanalysis/arid-40988816.html https://www.itv.com/news/2021-06-21/amazon-destroying-millions-of-items-of-unsold-stock-in-one-of-its-uk-warehouses-every-year-itv-news-investigation-finds

Access to water is a human right. We are without safe water for far too long. Too vulnerable people in our communities are not able to boil or secure a regular supply of safe water to use. Uisce Éireann need to supply us with safe water and fast track fixing the problem

Who is affected? Deafblind children, their families, and the broader community are concretely affected by the existing barriers to inclusive education. The current lack of specialized services and resources denies these children the opportunity to fully participate in educational settings. As a result, they are often isolated, unable to communicate effectively, and face significant challenges in acquiring the necessary skills to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. What is at stake? The consequences of maintaining the status quo are far-reaching and deeply impactful. Without inclusive education and tailored support, deafblind children risk being left behind, depriving them of a quality education and limiting their future opportunities. By neglecting their needs, we deny them the chance to develop their talents, contribute to society, and lead independent and fulfilling lives. Additionally, the lack of equal access to education perpetuates social inequality and discrimination, further marginalizing an already vulnerable group. Why is now the time to act? Immediate action is imperative as every passing day without intervention exacerbates the challenges faced by deafblind children. The critical developmental stages during early childhood necessitate early intervention services that foster communication skills, sensory development, and social interaction. By addressing these needs promptly, we can enable deafblind children to reach their full potential, unlocking a brighter future for them and empowering them to become active, engaged members of society. We firmly believe that every child, regardless of their abilities, has the right to an inclusive education and equal access to educational resources and services. Therefore, we respectfully request that you consider the following measures: Develop comprehensive guidelines and policies that ensure inclusive education for deafblind children at all levels of the education system. Allocate sufficient resources to provide specialized training for teachers and educational professionals to effectively support deafblind children. Establish early intervention programs that focus on the unique needs of deafblind children, providing appropriate services and support from an early age. Collaborate with relevant stakeholders, including organizations specializing in deafblind education, to develop and implement best practices for inclusive education and support services. Raise awareness among the broader public about the rights and needs of deafblind children, fostering a more inclusive and accepting society. We urge you to take immediate action to address the pressing issue of inclusive education and equal access for deafblind children. By doing so, you will contribute to a more inclusive society where every child can thrive and fulfil their potential. We kindly request a meeting with you to discuss our concerns in more detail and explore collaborative solutions. We are confident that by working together, we can bring about meaningful change and ensure a brighter future for deafblind children.

There are people in nursing homes, those without access to good quality internet service, or simply those who cannot afford to pay for GAA Go who desperately want to watch their beloved teams play in the quarter finals. Kerry in particular, last years all Ireland champions, have not had any of their past four matches shown on RTE. Sign this petition to compel RTE and the GAA to show all four quarter final matches on RTE so that the maximum number of fans can watch the matches.

This is important to remember how far we have come in providing abortion as healthcare in Ireland and to say ‘Never Again’ should religious views predominate over human rights.

We are deeply concerned at the government’s plan to change Ireland’s proud policy of neutrality and how they are going about this. There is public discontent at the prospect of Irish Neutrality being jettisoned and replaced by membership of militarised peace-enforcement alliances with the EU and NATO. The Fianna Fail/Fine Gael government initially spoke of a Citizens’ Assembly to study the issue of Irish Neutrality [2] but abandoned that proposal in favour of the tightly managed Consultative Forum which allows the government to control the conversation, and takes the debate plus final conclusions away from the public. The Forum programme is biased in favour of the Minister’s agenda to build consent for the Government’s plans. The whole exercise is undemocratic. [3] In contrast with the small number of ‘pro- neutrality’ speakers included in the four days of meetings, the forums are loaded with speakers against the established neutrality policy of the country. Some of the issues and perspectives that the public want addressed, such as nonviolent civilian defence, or how to develop a positive neutrality role, are not on the government set agenda. The forums are not as advertised- ‘a public space for open debate’. They are only being held in three cities, with very little publicity informing people of the limited public tickets available and how to access them. Even the days and times of the forums are exclusive, falling during the working week and starting too early and finishing too late for parents taking children to school to be able to attend. This is all most unsatisfactory. There are concerns over the fact that instead of a Citizen’s Assembly the government’s forum will conclude with the chairperson [4], who was hand-picked by the Dept. of Foreign Affairs, compiling a report with recommendations for government consideration. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] “Triple Lock” The approval procedures that govern the despatch of contingents of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) on overseas peace support operations is commonly known as the “triple lock”. The “Triple Lock” was introduced to allay the Irish electorate’s fears that the EU ‘Nice Treaty’ was a threat to our sovereign neutrality after the treaty was rejected by Irish citizens in a referendum in 2001. Subsequently the Nice Treaty was passed in a second referendum in 2002. The requirements of the “triple lock” were formally set out in Ireland’s national declaration associated with the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. It comprises of 3 requirements: to be endorsed by the Government, Dáil* and United Nations (UN)** *There is no requirement for Dáil approval where, the international UN Force is unarmed, where the size of the PDF contingent does and will not exceed 12 members, or if the contingent is intended to replace in whole or in part or reinforce a contingent of the PDF serving outside of the State already serving as part of an International UN Force. ** The requirement for a UN resolution as part of the “triple lock” reflects the central importance of the UN in granting legitimacy to peace support and crisis management missions. Minister Micheál Martin questions if the Triple Lock remains fit for purpose using the argument that Russia can use its seat on the UN Security Council to veto a UN resolution and thus prevent Ireland being sent on specific military missions. (https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2023-05-18/32/) The Minister is not being balanced in his arguments. He has never raised any objection to the multiple uses of the veto by the USA on the UN Security Council, which has prevented many justified sanctions taking place. The Minister is also being disingenuous, as Russia has never opposed a proposed Irish peace mission that has come before the Security Council. The real reason for his wanting to dismantle the Triple Lock is to undermine Irish neutrality. As the Triple Lock mechanism is not written into the constitution it can simply be removed by the government without a referendum. [2] Micheál Martin (as Taoiseach 08-03-2022) https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2022-03-08/2/ “I think we could look at a citizens' assembly to discuss these issues in the fullness of time, where detailed prepared submissions and perspectives from a wide range of opinion could be articulated.” [3] Afri commissioned 2-minute video for Swords to Ploughshares about the Consultative Forum: Not A Con Forum But A Citizens Assembly https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLagfomCPFI https://www.swordstoploughshares-ireland.com [4] Chairperson Dame Louise Richardson DBE (Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) Her 2006 book on ‘Terrorism’ shows some of her work and views. https://innatenonviolence.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Louise-Richardson-Terrorism-review.pdf

CATU Ireland is a union for communities and tenants. That means renters, council tenants, mortgage holders, and people in emergency and precarious living situations. The current housing crisis is a result of government policy designed to benefit speculators, landlords and vulture funds. But housing doesn't have to be in crisis. Public housing is the solution. 3,917 households are on the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County housing list, yet the council built only 18 houses in 2023. These figures also hide households who make more than the income limit of €40,000, but who can't afford to rent in DLR where the average rent is now €2,331 per month. The result is that working class families are pushed out of the county. It doesn't have to be this way. Universal public housing will bring about reduced rents and property prices and force corporate investors out, with many properties becoming vacant and available to be added to our stock. Publicly owned housing will further allow tenants to have more control over their communities through local democracy, rather than an unaccountable profit-driven private sector. It will also mean more sustainable communities, as people will not be evicted at the whim of a landlord seeking to make a greater profit. It's time to end the landlords' grip and tip the balance of power back to renters. Housing is a human right, not a commodity to be bought and sold to the highest bidder.

Over the past few years there have been a soaring number of planning applications across the Island of Ireland to build very large “Solar Energy Farms” covering thousands of acres of agricultural land, with some in high amenity areas. Such projects involve taking over productive food-growing fields with hundreds of thousands of tall solar panels in order to generate “green” electricity for periods typically 35- 40 years. During this period the farms are unable to grow any food crops or raise animals. Only a few exceptions graze sheep, though this is going out of fashion with the developers. The developers usually offer to “improve the local biodiversity” or similar “green” sounding platitudes but there are no guarantees that the existing wildlife will not be permanently impacted or that the land will be even used for grazing. Solar photo-voltaic (PV) panels produce electricity from sunlight, but are very inefficient in producing energy compared to their land greed. Offshore wind power and hydroelectric systems, along with nuclear generation are significantly more efficient for their land footprint and have been chosen by the Government as the primary large-scale routes for energy investment towards our net zero goals. Nevertheless, solar developers are keen to cash in on the publicity of the net zero targets whilst they still can, removing valuable food producing land in the process. Solar panels on individual homes, offices, public buildings, and over car parks can and do contribute to offsetting electricity used in those buildings. The ISEA issued a report in 2022 showing that over 1.3 million homes in Ireland have roof space for solar panels which equates to 13GW capacity meeting 19% of renewable energy targets. County level findings also show that using maximum theoretical potential on each roof that up to 38% of Westmeath’s residential energy demands would be met by solar PV in homes. (https://www.irishsolarenergy.org/_files/ugd/dcb342_31fe5681d3fd4f56b322141c9886af5c.pdf) Energy sent over the transmission network is lost the further it travels, contributing to energy waste. Like a bucket of water with a small hole in the bottom. But this is reduced to almost no loss when installed on a rooftop and used by the building. These industrial solar energy plants, if needed at all, should be located on previously developed “brown field” sites and rooftops, not on valuable agricultural land. And certainly not adjacent to communities and in areas of high scenic and historic beauty, where they will destroy the public amenity and visual openness of the local countryside. Over the coming decades as we face up to the challenges of Climate Change, which is predicted to reduce food yields across the globe, we need to be able to produce enough food for ourselves. It is predicted that we will need to produce more food due to increasing populations. We need to be able to feed sustainably and covering viable agricultural land with solar “farms” is NOT the way to achieve this. It is time to call on the Government to end the development of large-scale Solar Energy “Farms” on prime agricultural land and take other measures to realise the benefits of solar pv such as making it mandatory for a minimum of 50% of all new builds to include rooftop solar power or giving communities the opportunity to participate in community owned projects like those set out in RESS 3 and supported by SEAI. If this gets approved it sets a dangerous precedent and there are more developments (similar in size) in the pipeline taking up large quantities of our prime arable land. If you care about the destruction of our countryside and wildlife (protected and unprotected) in our beautiful lake county then please sign and share for others to sign. We need to stop this now! Imagine acres and acres of glass and metal monstrosities where there once was crops, birdsong and animals grazing. Please Don’t let our Lake county become a Solar County.

Together, let's demand the attention, funding, and action that this crucial infrastructure project deserves. Join us in advocating for safer roads, economic prosperity, sustainable development, enhanced connectivity, and the empowerment of the community.

Clare County Council has developed a strategy to develop Ennis and set up a company, Ennis 2040 DAC, to implement it. The strategy aims to enable Ennis to prosper as a vibrant civic, commercial, cultural and residential centre. We support these aims but NOT the project they are starting on now - a multi-storey commercial block on Abbey Street car park and a later project for two commercial blocks on Parnell Street car park. We ask Clare County Council to stop the plan to build on our riverside car parks because: • It removes car parking that our businesses and mobility impaired people need – a vibrant town needs vibrant businesses • It is a speculative development for high cost office and large retail that could end up as a white elephant in a prime location • It hands valuable open public space to private interests, space that is ideal place for our community to gather and enjoy river and town views • This generic development in the heart of the town could destroy what people love about Ennis - a medieval town with narrow, winding streets and laneways with the beautiful river Fergus meandering through it We ask Clare County Council not to transfer this public property to Ennis 2040 DAC, a company that can sell it on without consent by the county council or councillors. There are many vacant sites that exist in Ennis that are ideal for regeneration and development. We ask Clare County Council and Ennis 2040 DAC to focus on these. Do you want large private buildings on our riverside car parks? If not, please sign our petition and share it with others who also want to stop this madness. You can also sign this petition in person at many of the businesses in Ennis Town Save Ennis Town is a group drawn from the general public including community, business, retail and political representatives. It formed after a public meeting on 4th May 2023 in the Temple Gate Hotel with over 200 people, all concerned about elements of the Ennis 2040 plans. We aim to have constructive engagement with Ennis 2040 DAC and develop a plan that will enhance our town for everyone.

Trees are essential to our existence. They provide us with oxygen, reduce carbon and give life to the world's wildlife. Saving our trees will reduce greenhouse gases, protect our wildlife and bees, and make sure our environment and communities can be enjoyed by future generations.

The Irish Funds Industry Association (Irish Funds) is the representative body for the international investment fund community in Ireland. According to Irish Funds, Ireland is the domicile for 5.9% of world-wide investment fund assets, making it the 3rd largest global centre and the 2nd largest in Europe. On their website, they claim as one of their values "Integrity – in everything we do". But integrity is incompatible with allowing their membership to include nine of the ten top investors in major companies in oil and gas expansion - companies like Exxon, Chevron, Conoco and Glencore – and four of the banks labelled the “Dirty Dozen” in the 2023 Banking on Climate Chaos report. By allowing these 14 tainted companies to continue as members, Irish Funds is legitimising their cannibalisation of the planet. By expelling these companies, Irish Funds will send a strong signal that funding fossil fuels is immoral and unacceptable in an escalating climate and biodiversity emergency. It will increase pressure on these companies to divest from fossil fuels – the burning of which is the main source of greenhouse gas emissions that are cooking our planet.