We, the undersigned, call on Dublin City Council to reconsider and revoke the Freedom of Dublin City bestowed upon Paul Hewson (Bono), lead singer of U2. This request is made in light of Bono’s recent acceptance of a Presidential Medal of Freedom from U.S. President Joe Biden. While Bono’s achievements as an artist and humanitarian are recognized, we believe his acceptance of this honor raises questions about his commitment to the values and independence of Dublin as a city and Ireland as a nation. The Freedom of Dublin City is an honour rooted in representing the unique spirit and values of Dubliners, reflecting a strong sense of community, heritage, and cultural independence. By aligning with a political figure whose policies and actions have been divisive, Bono’s decision risks alienating a significant portion of the citizens who once admired him and his role as a cultural ambassador for Dublin. We believe that public honours should be reserved for individuals who uphold and reflect the consensus values of the community they represent. For many, Bono’s acceptance of this award undermines the apolitical and independent nature of such recognition. We respectfully request that Dublin City Council: 1.  Review the criteria and guidelines for retaining the Freedom of the City award. 2.  Initiate a process for the reconsideration of Bono’s status as a Freeman of Dublin. This action would reaffirm the importance of ensuring public honours remain meaningful and reflective of the will and values of the people. Sign this petition if you believe Dublin City’s honours should reflect and respect the shared values of our citizens.   Sincerely, The Undersigned

Background: Statistics from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry indicate that over 50% of new petrol and diesel cars, bought in 2023, were SUVs [1]. According to the Financial Times, sales of SUVs in Ireland are amongst the highest in the EU [2]. These vehicles, largely driven in urban areas, contribute disproportionately to greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and traffic congestion. Their larger size and weight result in increased fuel consumption and road wear, further exacerbating these issues. Their electric counterparts, due to their excessive size are contributing to global shortages of critical metals such as lithium, causing significant environmental degradation & reshaping global politics. Crash data from Belgium from 2017 to 2021 also shows that a 10cm increase in the height of vehicle fronts raises the risk of death by 30% when a car hits a pedestrian or cyclist, according to a study by the Vias Institute, previously the Belgian Institute for Road Safety [3]. By imposing an additional VRT on the sale of non-commercial heavy vehicles, we can encourage manufacturers to stop increasing the size of their cars, and incentivize consumers to choose more environmentally friendly options, such as smaller, more fuel-efficient cars or public transportation. This would help to reduce our carbon footprint, meet our legally binding climate targets and improve air quality. A higher VRT on heavy non-commercial vehicles is a necessary and effective measure to protect our environment and promote sustainable transportation and public health improvements. “The Irish transport system is car dependent by design, is high in greenhouse gas emissions and does not support improved well-being.” — OECD 2022 report Promoting Equity: By taxing non-commercial vehicles that disproportionately contribute to emissions, a sales weight tax could create a more equitable system where the costs of environmental damage are more fairly distributed between urban and rural dwellers. This could free up resources for other groups such as farmers to be rewarded for investing in sustainable practices.

The use of these super bright headlights will if not already cause severe accidents and possibly loss of life.

After the fall of the Assad regime, Minister Helen McEntee announced that Ireland will pause making final decisions on asylum applications from Syrian people.  While the fall of the Assad regime has been welcomed as a victory for the people of Syria, it has also left a power vacuum in the country and many Syrians have good reason to seek safety abroad. It’s still unclear how Syria will be governed and by whom. In addition to this, the country is being heavily bombed by the Israeli army. Minister McEntee's decision to pause asylum applications will cause huge stress and uncertainty for Syrian people who have made Ireland their home. We are urging Minister McEntee to immediately reverse this decision and start processing Syrian people's asylum applications once more.

During the early hours of New's Years Day 2024, two young men, Eamon and Evan Murphy attacked an asylum centre in Kerry. Carrying a can of petrol and having kicked in the door they were prevented from causing further damage by an on-duty security guard. Despite having earlier been informed by Judge David Water that they faced jail sentences, and his finding that they clearly intended to set fire to the building with people inside, neither will now face jail time.  When it came to sentencing Eamon Murphy received only a four month suspended sentence, with Evan Murphy not even receiving a criminal conviction. This sentencing sends entirely the wrong message to those who might consider causing the most serious harm to people who seek asylum in this country. https://www.pressreader.com/ireland/the-kerryman-north-kerry/20240731/281552296126306 https://www.rte.ie/news/munster/2024/1217/1487053-killarney-centre-attack/

RIP.ie is an essential part of how the people of Ireland find out about deaths in their communities. It's also such an important resource for grieving families, who can widely share news of a loved one's passing quickly and easily. Up until now, it's been free to use RIP.ie – but from January on, it'll cost €100 to post a death notice. This is unacceptable, and will only place an extra burden on families who are already going through a terrible time. We are calling on RIP.ie and its new owner, the Irish Times Group, to reverse this price hike and to keep the website free to use. RIP.ie is not just a business, it's a vital community resource, and it should be treated as such.

No Matter who we are or where we are from we all deserve access to the democratic process.  So many young people from Ireland are unable to vote during elections as we do not have a system for people to vote, if they are not in the country.  in 2024 an estimated 40,000 emigrated from Ireland for one reason or another. That does not count people who are traveling during an election.  We are now calling on the government to take reasonable actions that would open up voting to those who are normally a resident in Ireland but are not here during an election.  In many countries around the world, people are allowed to vote while they are abroad. In Ireland however, if you are not in your home area, say you are from Cork, but Studying in Dublin, you are either forced to return home on voting day or go without.  Simple changes to mail in voting and rules for expats who may be out of country could see the turn out during elections increase and the voice of everyone to be counted! 

No Matter who we are or where we are from, we all deserve access to a sweet treats from time to time.  Over the last number of years we have seen a rapid increase in the price of a Freddo chocolate bar. Reports coming in that some shops are charging close to €1 for the beloved bar.  We have seen with many other chocolate bars that the size has been reduced and the price increased. We are calling on Cadbury to ensure that both the price and weight of a Freddo bar is protected.  Cadbury made a pre-tax profit last year in 2023 of over €6 million euro. The time to protect our beloved chocolate bar is now! 

We call on you to sign this petition to ensure that Denis Lacey Hall remains in public hands; over the years, the building housed many dance, music and social clubs and was a thriving community hub for fifty years until its recent demise. We believe the building could be brought back to its former splendour and become a much-needed thriving community centre and circular economy hub for many years to come.

If you want to keep getting your post in a prompt, professional manner please help us by signing to keep Dave as our postie.

The Irish elections have concluded, and once again, the status quo has been upheld. However, we must look to the future and ensure that the voices of all Irish citizens—both at home and abroad are heard in shaping our democracy. For too long, the voices of those who have emigrated have been excluded, despite their continued ties to Ireland and the very policies that have pushed them away. Every year, over 60,000 of our young people leave Irish shores, driven away by a country that has become increasingly inhospitable to those seeking a decent quality of life. The policies of successive governments have failed to address the crises we face in housing, workers' rights, healthcare, and the broader quality of life for ordinary people. Instead, the status quo persists, upheld by an electorate that does not reflect the full breadth of Irish voices. We call for the inclusion of Irish citizens living abroad in our democratic process through postal voting rights. These are people forced to emigrate due to the inability of this government to provide for its citizens. Their voices matter. The decisions made here affect their future, their families, and their hope of ever returning to a better Ireland. This petition highlights the following urgent concerns: 1. Failed Government Policies: Successive governments, particularly the Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil coalition, have prioritized enterprise and profits over people. This has led to: ·        An unprecedented housing crisis, forcing families into homelessness and driving young people out of the country. ·        A voluntarist model of collective bargaining, leaving Irish workers with some of the weakest protections across OECD states. ·        A shift towards privatisation of public services, reducing job quality and diminishing workers' rights while prioritising profits over service provision. 1. A Mass Exodus: Our rich culture, community, and potential are being eroded as young people emigrate en masse. This government has stripped Ireland of what makes it vibrant and sustainable for future generations. 2. Lack of Representation: The recent election results reflect a system that excludes the voices of those most impacted by these policies. Our emigrants must have the right to vote, to ensure the government is held accountable not just by those who remain but also by those forced to leave. By signing this petition, you are standing up for: • The right of emigrants to have their voices heard. • The need to address low voter turnout by ensuring more inclusive participation. • A fairer, more inclusive Ireland that prioritises its people. Let us reflect on our voting policies and build a country that future generations can call home.

The Central Bank of Ireland is still selling Israeli bonds, despite the state's ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people. Israel is marketing these bonds as a means to support its onslaught in Gaza. The Central Bank says it can't stop selling these bonds unless the Irish government puts sanctions in place that prevent it from doing so.  Together, we are calling on Micheál Martin and Simon Harris to impose immediate sanctions on Israel that would stop the Central Bank from selling these bonds once and for all.