• Fund Perinatal Mental Health Care for Northern Ireland
    At least 1 in 10 women are impacted by mental health issues in the perinatal period, from pregnancy until their child is 2 years old. Specialist perinatal mental health services are desperately needed, comprising specialist clinical teams in every health trust, community support services, peer support, education and a specialist inpatient mother and baby unit. Campaigners and perinatal mental health experts have been working together for years calling for these vital services to be put in place but Northern Ireland remains far behind the rest of the UK as the only region with no mother and baby unit and extremely limited specialist service providers. The Health Minister has committed to establish new perinatal services as part of the 2020 Mental Health Action Plan but has not published any details about what will be included and states in the action plan that "[i]t is likely that creating this service will take some time." The Minister has still not agreed to meet the urgent need for a mother and baby unit so that women suffering from acute perinatal mental illness can be treated without being separated from their babies. Meanwhile, women in Northern Ireland have lost their lives and many more have suffered the consequences of being unable to access services. The devastating impact of covid-19 on women who have been allowed limited support from partners and family during their birthing experience and reduced access to health visiting services at home has made the situation even worse. We urgently need the Minister to fund these services and allow the professionals who are ready to deliver them to get on with this important work. Mums and babies cannot wait any longer.
    225 of 300 Signatures
    Created by Nicola Browne
  • Courtown Adventure & Leisure Centre
    Courtown Adventure and Leisure Centre has entered into liquidation jeopardising the continued learning of thousands in North Wexford. As the only public swimming facility providing lessons in the Gorey area it has been a vital amenity for the provision of swimming lessons for children and adults alike. The associated health benefits with regular exercise are widely accepted, for some the Courtown Adventure and Leisure Centre is their only outlet for regular exercise. Whether it’s swimming, aqua aerobics or using the gym, the loss of the facility will be keenly felt by people of all ages and abilities within the surrounding communities. In a seaside area the loss of year-round swimming lessons to the local communities could result in a fear of using our beautiful beaches and the various offerings that come with those, such as surfing, sailing, sea-swimming etc. and in turn a loss of income for local businesses. In the worst cases the loss of swimming lessons at an early age could lead to mortalities because of a fear of the water. We urge WCC to take these factors under consideration and to keep the Courtown Adventure and Leisure Centre open by taking over the ownership and operation of the facility. Please share and use #savecourtownpool when posting on social media Thank you, Save Courtown Pool Campaign Group Members: Leah Johnston Killian Ormond Joy Redmond Nivard Rush Thelma Blehein Laura O'Gorman Supported by: Swim Club Courtown Special Olympics Club Gorey Area Surf Life Saving Sammy's Swimmers (open water) Swim Academy parents and many schools in the area
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    Created by Leah Johnston
  • I stand with the Debenhams Workers
    This is a message to the Irish Government and the company overseeing the liquidation of the company's assets that a lot of people are behind the Debenhams workers. This is also a message to those on the picket that you have our support and solidarity.
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    Created by Shane Hannigan
  • Improve facilities & increase funding in the mental health sector in Ireland
    I’ve found myself asking the question was this the right time to create this petition with all of the others issues going on in the country and in the world right now. But the thing is when is the right time for change? There’s always going to be other problems unfolding around us but that doesn’t mean this issue is any less relevant or important. I have experienced first hand having been in a variety of mental health services from private and public general and psychiatric hospitals, community facilities and various counselling services that the system and resources available in the country of Ireland to people who are struggling are limited and over-capacitated, unable to deal with the large volumes of people who are seeking out support. How unfair is it that incredible non-profit charities like Pieta House or Jigsaw or Spunout are being overwhelmed in the community by the countless people who do not have the access or money to go to the mental health services that they desperately require. Or hearing about another individual taking their own life who was on a 3 month or 6 month long waiting list to be seen by a counsellor or start a therapy programme. It’s time we start seeing more money being put into the mental health sector to create crisis centres as a safe place for those to go to if they’re feeling suicidal and to see an increased number of facilities, counsellors and resources in the community. Excuses and explanations aside, it’s fundamental that we all get the help and resources for our mental health that we need and that we deserve because the way things are now is just not good enough! If you want please sign the petition if you feel strongly about this issue too. Let’s use our voices to propel the change that we want to see in this country, not in 5 or 10 years but now. I don’t want to see those suffering with their mental state to be turned away by a private hospital because they aren’t covered or don’t have insurance, or a long term patient being repeatedly over-medicated because there’s no other help available to them, or to see a young person arriving to the emergency department feeling suicidal and then walking away feeling as though they weren’t listened to or didn’t get the help that they desperately needed. We have the ability to save lives if we start making this change right now. Let’s prioritise our mental health and encourage the government to do the same with the services that are in place!
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    Created by Maria Lynn Picture
  • Amend the Harassment & Harmful Communications Bill
    The bill was categorised by the Law Reform Commission in 2016 after focus groups of young teens identified it as a privacy issue. However on greater examination it is clear that this should fall under sexual violence laws. It is important that people who engage in image based crime should face serious implications for sharing inappropriate images without consent. Also it is important that judges and barristers should understand the full impact on victims lives from the sharing of these images, and be trained up to deal with what is a reasonably new crime, with the age of smart phones and widespread internet access.
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    Created by Linda Hayden
  • Protect Northern Ireland's Peace
    The Troubles in Northern Ireland cost thousands of lives and tore generations of families apart. The fragile peace brokered after was hard won. It was a process which took years and involved people who had been at war with each other sitting down together to work out a way forward. No matter which way people voted on Brexit, no one wants to put peace in Northern Ireland at risk. Please don’t risk the fragile peace in Northern Ireland. It’s too important to sacrifice.
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    Created by Nicola Browne
  • STOP Dublin Airport passenger drop-off and collect charge.
    This is important because Dublin Airport are citing the need for people to use Public Transport more. However, they appear to have forgotten that there is no Train, no LUAS and no DART to Dublin Airport yet. The only real options are taxi, bu that's not a car alternative, or buses, which are irregular and not available from large swathes of Ireland.
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    Created by Steven Err
  • Lift Restrictions on Maternity Care
    The current restrictions prohibit fathers/partners from accompanying women to any ante natal appointments and scans, despite the fact that she could potentially receive distressing, life changing news alone. Fathers/partners are prohibited from supporting women when she comes to hospital for induction of labour, or through the early stages, until she is in 'established labour' or called for caesarean section. Women are having to endure this often very intense and scary experience without the emotional and physical support of someone close to them. Fathers/partners are then made to leave the hospital an hour after the birth of the baby, regardless of the emotional or physical needs of the new mother. They are not permitted to go to the ward with mum and baby, or visit during the hospital stay, until they are discharged home.* Anyone who has been through this experience knows how emotional and overwhelming the first few days can be, and the importance of having the support of your partner. Likewise new fathers are being denied the important bonding experience of the first few hours and days after the birth of their child, which should be a fundamental human right. While we understand that these restrictions may have been necessary 6 months ago when the pandemic first emerged, we seriously question why they are not being revised and eased along with many of the other lifted restrictions across the broader society. To continue to deny women the emotional support of a partner throughout her labour at this stage, when schools, restaurants and gyms are open and flights abroad are accessible, seems unnecessarily cruel. Surely a partner correctly dressed in PPE poses no greater threat to maternity hospital staff than the woman herself, and if restrictions on other public spaces can be lifted, then it should be a matter of urgency that these restrictions that cause such distress and impinge on the human rights of couples be revised in light of the current situation around the country. * There have been limited visitation rights granted to nominated partners in some, but not all, maternity hospitals recently.
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    Created by Caroline Cumming
  • Changing the unwritten rules about homeless
    Petition to change the unwritten rules about housing the homeless in Co. Wicklow I have been homeless in Co. Wicklow since 07/07/2017, after I was illegally evicted. I didn’t do anything wrong and with 4days notice, I went from living in a house, into living in my car. During my time being homeless I have become familiar with some of the unwritten rules about being homeless in Co. Wicklow, and I think those rules are unfair, unjust and unnecessary. Rule No.1: People who have pets don’t deserve to be housed. I’m autistic, I am unable to create closely bonded friendships with people. I don’t have what you would call “a safety net”. I do have a need to be loved and needed, and my pets love me and need me. I don’t think it is right for people to tell me that I don’t deserve to be housed, because I refuse to get rid of my pets. They are not toys I could toss away like that. Rule No.2: You have to be homeless for at least 8years before being eligible for Council Housing. When I first got on the Wicklow County Council emergency housing list, back in 2017, I was told that it would be at least 10years, before my name came up to be housed. I tried to get an appointment to speak to Wicklow County Council housing officer last December, before there was any hint of this Covid-madness, but I was told that it was not possible. I contacted Wicklow County councillor Sylvester Bourke few months ago, and after doing some enquiries he came back with the information that there is no chance of me getting into Council Housing, because I haven’t been homeless long enough. 3 YEARS IS NOT LONG ENOUGH TO BE HOMELESS. Last week I spoke with a Simon Community Social worker who told me that there is no hope for me getting housed in public housing, because in Co Wicklow YOU HAVE TO BE HOMELESS FOR AT LEAST 8 YEARS, before being considered for council housing. I tried to find out how many homeless people there are in Co Wicklow: According to this source: https://www.eastcoast.fm/news/wicklow-news/latest-homeless-figures-show-slight-drop-in-county-wicklow/ There were 24 homeless in Co Wicklow, living in emergency housing in December 2019. According to this source: https://www.eastcoast.fm/news/wicklow-news/new-figures-show-rise-in-homeless-numbers-in-county-wicklow/ There were 20 homeless in Co Wicklow, living in emergency housing in November 2019. Obviously these figures are nowhere near to the real number of homeless in Co Wicklow, because they are only counting the people in emergency housing, not the people sleeping rough, couch surfing, or living in less than adequate housing. I could not find information on the real number of homeless in Co Wicklow, but if there are less than 100 homeless in Co Wicklow, why do they have to be homeless for at least 8years, before being eligible for housing? I have not been able to find any written records of these rules, probably because they would be too shameful and inhumane to put into writing, but they seem to be very solid and unbreakable unwritten rules, because I have heard them repeated enough in past 3 years. I believe that people who have pets do deserve to live in adequate housing, and being homeless for 1day should be long enough to be eligible for public housing. If you support this cause, please sign and share this petition.
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    Created by Ronya Phoenix
  • Keep Ban on Fracking in Fermanagh in the Local Development Plan
    Consider this as a response to the current consultation on the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council Development Plan open until 14th September. Issue Ref: DPS/248/03 The communities in Fermanagh fought hard for the inclusion of the following in Fermanagh Omagh District Council's Local Development Plan: "The Council will not permit exploitation of unconventional hydrocarbon extraction until it is proved that there would be no adverse effects on the environment or public health" This has been changed to: "The Council will not permit exploitation of unconventional hydrocarbon extraction until there is sufficient and robust evidence on all associated impacts on the environment and human health." Please revert to the original wording which protects the communities of Fermanagh and it's surrounds from fracking.
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    Created by Nicola Browne
  • Cancel Enda Kenny's railway series
    Politics is not entertainment and it's completely inappropriate for the state broadcaster to give a vanity series like this to a former Taoiseach and to promote the Fine Gael party who are in government. How many working in the arts are in need of a job? RTÉ should not be a retirement home for elderly men on multiple pensions; a man who arguably turned this country into a train wreck and did nothing for the railways. Enda also apparently knew about the Golfgate dinner & played golf on the day, but didn't inform anyone. There's no such thing as an innocent bystander. Cancel this! #golfgate #endakenny #ethics
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    Created by Norma Burke Picture
  • Reinstate South East Rail Network
    Help us protect and improve public transport & infrastructure for future generations.Engage in a multi-year process of improving services to make rail transport a successful transport option in the South East of Ireland.
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    Created by Una Dunphy