Consultancy firm Hatch Regeneris have been funded by the Department for the Economy to carry out a £65,000 piece of research on the economic, environmental and social impact of drilling for oil and gas here. They were awarded the contract one day after the Northern Ireland Assembly unanimously passed a motion for a halt on oil and gas drilling and development in Northern Ireland in October last year. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-54144919 http://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/officialreport/report.aspx?&eveDate=2020%2F10%2F13&docID=310908 Despite the overwhelming evidence on the negative public health impact of drilling and fracking, the research does not include consideration of public health in its terms of reference. Now the Councils in the areas currently under the PLA1/16 licence, many of whom passed motions against fracking and drilling, are currently not part of their stakeholder engagement. This means that the communities that will bear the social impact of drilling for oil will not be heard.

This is important as many children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are forced to wait several years for an assessments of their needs and are then placed on long waiting lists for access to recommended services. Parents of children who require an assessments of their needs should not be forced to resort to the private healthcare system in order to access these services. Accessing these services privately is very costly therefore, people who are financially better off can gain access to assessments of needs (AON) and services much faster than those who cannot afford to go private. The pathways to AONs and services in Ireland for children with ASD are also very unclear. This lack of clarity contributes to the issue of long waiting lists and poor access to such services. The issue of unequal and poor access to these services is an unfair socio-economic inequity based on financial ability and knowledge of how to navigate Ireland’s complicated healthcare system. It is important to address these issues and improve access to AONs for children with ASD in order for children to have access to early interventions which are closely linked to potential positive developmental outcomes. The first few years of a child’s life are critical to their physical, mental, emotional, cultural, personal and competency development hence why early intervention is essential. Ensuring access to assessments and services in a timely manner is a right that no child with a disability should be denied.

The rate of infant mortality in the Traveller community is 3 times higher than the settled population. For a first world country, there should not be such a large gap in these rates between a minority group and the rest of the population. The government has known about this issue for more than 13 years and yet has not done anything in order to reduce the rate. Please sign this petition so that we can bring around change.

Violence is happening everywhere and all women are at risk. It's happening on the street, in homes, in workplaces, in entertainment, and in intimate relationships.

The aim of this petition is to highlight that there is a need for more support for at home carers. These are people who have been caring around the clock to support a loved one who may be ill, have additional needs or are elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although they do receive carers allowance which can range from €219 - €385.50 and additional monies depending on how may dependable children there is. This petition would be used to highlight not only do they need financial support but they also need a form of relief from the general day to day strenuous tasks they encounter not only physically but also emotionally. Since the start of the pandemic last March the supports they heavily relied on for relief were reduced or simply taken away. They had and still have very little relief as many of the people they are caring for would be very high risk if they contracted COVID-19. With the help of these signatures it will highlight that more support needs to be given to carers and will hopefully facilitate in implementing a change that will ultimately support these people more effectively and efficiently.

This campaign is being orchestrated by the the 1916 Societies, who are an Irish separatist movement who believe the people of Ireland have the right to determine their own future. For more information on our campaign visit our website: 1916Societies.ie

The Ringaskiddy Tidy towns was started in the middle of lockdown in 2020 as a direct result of the huge influx of visitors to the village and surrounding area. Unfortunately, an increase in visitors also meant an increase in rubbish, and after several weeks (and even months) of local volunteers collecting rubbish, the natural desire to increase the appearance of the village as a whole led to the establishment of a Tidy Towns group and committee. Together we have collected 2.3 tonnes of rubbish in the past 12 months, over 400kgs of glass bottles and transformed the village and the surrounding backroads and beaches. Five beautiful old boats filled with plants and maintained by volunteers now adorn the village in strategic places. Huge planting and weeding projects have been undertaken successfully in the core of the village. But for every thing we “prettify” every week we encounter illegal dumping, dog fouling, people leaving their coffee cups wherever they please , and so on. This has only been exacerbated by the opening of Haulbowline Amenity Park. We understand from a post on Facebook last month by Seamus McGrath TD that the wrong bins were installed at a cost to Cobh Municipal Council, and that they have no plans to install the correct bins. It is not the fault of the residents of Ringaskiddy if unsuitable bins were installed . “Encouraging” people to take their waste home is not going to work. The idea that a public park would not have public bins in simply unworkable. Whilst we were all still being encouraged to stay within our 5kms locals stopped going to the new park due to the levels of dog fouling. We’ve provided bins of our own volition to our two local beaches, but we cannot maintain the new park by ourselves. I’ve seen in an article published today on the Examiner’s Facebook page that Cobh Municipal Council seem to still be talking about the issue, meanwhile rubbish is being thrown into the sea, the county is opening to travel tomorrow, which may lead to more visitors to the area, and the summer is coming. We cannot wait any longer.

Craigall Rocks - an escarpment with giant boulders and stunted woodland - was one of the most important sites for rare plants in County Derry . It is the last known location for Wood small-reed in Northern Ireland, and also holds old records for scarce wildflowers like Small white orchid and Intermediate wintergreen. As a result, it was designated as a Site of Local Nature Conservation Importance, but this has done nothing to protect the site from quarrying - which is able to take place under an archaic planning permission that predates most of our environmental legislation. There are signs that the woodland on Craigall Rocks may be Ancient (around since at least 1650): - many of the trees are clearly old and gnarly, with thick stools and many stems; - there is a huge diversity of woodland wildflowers; - and old woodland-associated lichens are present. Ancient Woodland is extremely rare in Northern Ireland, covering only 0.08% of our land surface. The surviving area of natural boulderfield and possibly Ancient Woodland at Craigall Rocks is tiny, spanning around an acre. There is still plenty of space to expand the quarry without destroying this precious and irreplaceable habitat.

There are a large number of young children who regularly play on the green area and roads in Griffeen Glen Boulevard. Although we have a 'Kill Your Speed, Not Our Children' sign on a lamppost as drivers enter the estate, unfortunately, we are constantly seeing drivers speeding through the entrance road and taking the left turn around the green at speed where young children are often playing. We feel that the addition of a speed ramp in the first 30-50 yards of the entrance road to Griffeen Glen Boulevard, as drivers come in off the roundabout, would greatly reduce the risk of a serious injury and improve the safety of our children and the general quality of life for residents of the road.

Anti-choice and religious groups are staging protests around Limerick maternity hospital and other health centres around the country. This is distressing for pregnant people and their families, for health care workers, and local residents. While everyone has the right to protest, they do not have the right to a captive audience. We are calling on government to bring in legislation to create safe zones around health centres in which protest of any kind in relation to abortion is forbidden

For towns and communities to thrive they need their local bank branches to stay open. In the middle of a pandemic when customers and businesses are under severe pressure, Bank of Ireland, which was bailed out to the tune of €4.7 billion by the Irish people, should not be closing bank branches. Keeping our local bank branches open is crucial to the economic future of communities as we seek to rebuild after this pandemic. As the largest shareholder in Bank of Ireland, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe must stand up for communities facing the closure of the 103 local bank branches listed below. Carlow: Boris, Tullow Cavan: Arva, Cootehill, Kingscourt Clare: Kilkee, Miltown Malbay, Tulla Cork: Cork Institute of Technology, Glanmire, Bantry, Cobh, Dunmanway, Kanturk, Millstreet, Michelstown, Youghal Donegal: Bunbeg, Bundoran, Dungloe, Glenties, Moville Dublin: James Street, Law Library, Phibsboro, Ballycoolin, Killester, Merrion Road, Rathmines, Ballyfermot Galway: Ballygar, Dunmore, Oughterard Kerry: Castleisland, Kilorglin, Tralee IT Kildare: Celbridge, Kilcullen, Leixlip, HP/Intel, Monasterevin Kilkenny: Callan, Graiguenamanagh, Thomastown, Urlingford Laois: Durrow, Mountrath, Rathdowney Leitrim: Drunshambo, Manorhamilton Limerick: Abbeyfeale, Askeaton, Bruff, Caherdavin, Rathkeale, Roxboro, University of Limerick Longford: Granard Louth, Dunleer Mayo: Ballyhaunis, Charlestown, Kiltimagh Meath: Athboy, Enfield, Ratoath Monaghan: Castleblayney, Clones Offaly: Banagher, Clara, Edenderry Roscommon: Elphin, Strokestown Sligo: Ballymote, Tubbercurry Tipperary: Cahir, Cashel, Templemore Waterford: Ardkeen, Kilmacthomas, Lismore Westmeath: Athlone IT, Castlepollard, Kinnegad, Moate Wexford: Rosslare, Taghmon Wicklow: Carnew, Rathdrum, Tinahely North: Ballymena, Banbridge, Belfast (Lisburn Rd), Belfast (Ormeau Rd), Belfast (University Rd), Crossmaglen, Derry (Strand Rd), Downpatrick, Dungannon, Keady, Limavaddy, Lisburn, Lisnakea, Portadown, Strabane

Amy Barrett`s father, Jerry O'Keeffe, was jailed for 10 years in November 2017. Jerry O Keeffe was charged with three charges of rape, five charges of indecent assault and one charge of sexual assault of his daughters on dates between January 1980 and March 1987. The trial brought the horrors of the sexual abuse rushing back to Amy and with no professional services to help her deal with the aftershocks Amy found herself in a very dark place. During the court case, the gardaí, her solicitors and the court service supported her and guided her through until her father, Jerry O’Keefe, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2017. But once the trial ended, all State support vanished. Amy is seeking your support, calling on Government to fund better support mechanisms for victims of crime. Many believe victims automatically receive care plans and psychological support post-trial. Amazingly this is not the case. The state provides more support structures for the perpetrators of abuse than to the victims of abuse. As prisoners in Irish jails perpetrators of crime have care plans and psychological support. Although this is welcome and hopefully prevents those abusers from re offending what do the abuse victims receive... nothing....where is the support for victims? Due to current COVID 19 restrictions rape and murder cases are being delayed by as much as two years due to Covid-19. Many believe these delays could be devastating to victims and may result in many victims withdrawing their statements. Ireland has a long horrendous record of abuse, sexual abuse, child abuse yet nothing has changed for the victims. Please help Amy secure what should be a fundamental right of victims