Postgraduate work at Irish Universities is systematically precarious and low paid, despite substantial financial barriers to accessing courses and degrees. These conditions allow Universities to generate large profits at the expense of those carrying out work and research in the sector. While rent and college fees have continued to increase, stipends and the conditions of postgraduates have remained mostly static, despite a pressing need for change. We are calling for an end to unethical treatment of postgraduates across institutions, and demanding reform for better working and research conditions. We ask for your support in achieving these reforms through signing this petition. If you want to keep up to date with our campaign, be sure to follow us on Twitter (https://mobile.twitter.com/pgwa_ie) and/or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/pgwa_ie), or drop us an email at [email protected]. This charter was signed on behalf of the Postgraduate Workers Alliances of TCD, NUIG, and UCD.

A recent Ernrst and Young (EY) report for The Arts Council stated that at the end of August 2020, 58% of workers in the sector were wholly reliant on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) or the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS). The EY report also stated that in 2020 the recession in the Arts sector was expected be around -55% compared with -11% in the Irish economy on a whole. In the live performance and events sector there are 35,000 full time employees. Of 343 firms surveyed in June 2020 by Event Industry Ireland, 57% of companies have laid-off staff on a temporary basis and a further 8% have let staff go permanently. The Programme for Government – Our Shared Future contained a commitment for a Universal Basic Income (UBI), in the lifetime of the Government. This commitment was consolidated by recommendations from the Arts Recovery Task Force which stated “Pilot a universal basic income scheme for a three-year period in the arts, culture, audio-visual and live performance and events sectors”. Point 11 commits to the introduction of a Universal Basic Income pilot in the lifetime of the Government. Universal Basic Income is defined as an unconditional State payment that each citizen receives. The payment is designed to provide enough to cover the basic cost of living and provide a modicum of financial security. All other income would then be earned separately and subject to taxation. The scheme should be ‘opt in’ and other workers from these sectors who do not opt in can be used as a control group against which to measure the pilot. I am seeking your support in the delivery of these commitments by Government as a matter of urgency. I would be grateful if you would confirm your support and if you would advise of the steps you have taken to assist in the delivery of the promised pilot scheme for a UBI.

In the past week, graphic videos and images of the violence engulfing Israel and Palestine have circulated around the world, capturing international attention as the threat of increased military action looms. The violence has already led to over 200 deaths, the vast majority of whom are Palestinians, and include children. This oppressive regime has complete control over Palestinians -- from access to land, water, aid, and even movement. The Israeli government's brutal occupation and policies have resulted in this ongoing crisis. President Biden must take action to immediately de-escalate the situation, broker a ceasefire, and call on the Israeli government to put an immediate stop to the forced evictions and displacement of Palestinian families.

Basking sharks are endangered in the Northeast Atlantic and global population estimates indicate that the west and northern Irish seaboard are part of the single most internationally important coastal region for this species. Basking sharks occupy inshore and offshore areas year-round in Irish territorial waters. Ireland and our coastal communities have historically benefited from basking shark fisheries and today we have a duty to provide protection for this highly mobile species when they occupy Irish territorial waters. Recent research indicated that the Irish public supports the protection of basking sharks in Irish waters (Gray, 2019). Adding the species to Schedule Five of the Wildlife Act, (1976) as amended, is the simplest method to provide protection for the species in Irish territorial waters.

Birth partners are not visitors; they often are the other parent to the baby/babies and provide essential physical, mental and emotional support during pregnancy and birth. While pregnancy is not an illness, pregnant people are particularly vulnerable emotionally and mentally, and having to attend appointments without the support of a trusted partner can leave them feeling alone, scared and anxious. This can lead to mental health issues. Prior to the pandemic, one-third of women found their birth experience traumatic, which can significantly affect their lives, their relationships and their transition to parenthood; restrictions are compounding this. Birthing people and their partners should be treated in an holistic way, protecting their physical, emotional and mental health.

A Referendum is essential:- 1. To deliver affordable homes for citizens by outlawing the artificial 37% added costs to build homes in Ireland. VAT alone is €23,000 for a 3 bed semi. 2. To stop Rack Rents preventing young people from saving for their own homes and preventing lower income groups from access to 3rd level education due to the exorbitant cost of student accommodation. 3. To prevent Evictions unless decided by the Courts. ... and ... to remove the Central Bank biased and unfair constraints on Irish citizens which are not applicable to foreign vulture funds or local councils competing for homes. - to stop Vulture funds competing with first time buyers. - to stop Local Authorities competing with first time buyers. - to stop recurring Housing crises. "The 2008 CRASH could not have happened if this Referendum had been passed when called for in 1974. It was again recommended in 2014 by the Constitutional Convention." - to reduce the cost of build - artificially inflated by 37%. - to reduce the funding requirements for small and SME builders to build houses - increasing competition. - to increase competition in the housing supply. - to deliver proportionate amount of social homes.

This is so important to reward all the underage players for their hard work and dedication, to inspire the next generation and to engage young ladies footballers

Children sharing the same campus and buildings will have different meals. Junior school children will have a cold lunch while children in the adjoining senior school, along with all other children in the parish, will have a hot lunch. Killinarden is a area of social and economic deprivation. A hot school meal is essential for the development of the child and their full engagement in education.

We want to build support behind the Debenhams Bill - we are calling on people to support the Bill, sign the petition and email your TDs and Senators and urge them to vote in favour of the Bill. Over the last year the Debenhams workers have been fighting for their owed redundancy. They have faced organised strike breaking with the use of Gardaí to aggressively break pickets, and a government that has not taken real action. @ 𝟓𝐩𝐦, 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 -𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟏𝟐𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐲 the Dáil will debate and vote on The Companies (Protection of Employees' Rights in Liquidations) Bill 2021, better known as the Debenhams Bill. The Bill seeks to boost the rights of workers' in two simple ways: - The Bill would ensure that workers are treated as priority creditors so any monies generated from the sale of assets would go to paying workers first ahead of other creditors. - The Bill would ensure that collective agreements covering redundancies would be given the status of a debt owed to workers and would therefore be more likely to be paid in a liquidation. This important for the future of ALL workers who may find themselves in similar situations.

Housing should be seen as a home not an investment asset. If we don't stop this inequality will worsen dramatically – between those on extremely high incomes who can get a deposit off the bank of mum and dad to buy a home, and the majority stuck in the private rental market transferring their income into wealth for investors, or living in overcrowded housing, resulting in delayed adulthood and independence as they’re unable to leave their parents’ home. https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/ireland-investment-housing-5428746-May2021/?utm_source=shortlink

Since moving into this room, we have been harassed, threatened, and have had the neighbouring room broken into. 4 weeks into our tenancy, we received a letter from the rightful owner of the property, informing us that we would need to vacate the premises. We were given a few days notice to quit the premises, leaving us face to face with the threat of homelessness. I am currently 5 months pregnant and it is urgent that I find safe and secure accommodation. The money that we ask is returned will allow us to pay for a deposit. When we first moved in to this room, we requested a tenancy agreement. On the 10th of March, pictures of both our passports were requested and we were told us that a tenancy agreement would be drawn up and sent to us, which we never received. We are now at a serious risk of homelessness, which we were not at risk of in our previous accommodation. The demands listed above are completely reasonable given the stress and hardship our landlord has put on us in recent weeks. We ask you to sign this petition to show your support of our demands and urge our landlord to meet them.

Due to COVID-19 the backlog of people waiting for a driver theory test is extortionate. This is impacting people trying to find work and many of these are young people, who are already suffering from isolation in a pandemic now to be told they may have to wait longer to start out in the work-force. We already know there was an online pilot for truck and bus licenses and the RSA committed to making this service available for all theory test customers, but we are still waiting for the launch. Once this is launched the backlog will go down and will lower the unemployment in Ireland. https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster/arid-40218968.html