International students have not been adequately considered in Ireland’s COVID-19 response: - Due to closed immigration offices, some have remained stuck in Ireland for months, with unanswered emails and calls to INIS and university immigration offices (1). - In Dublin, an online renewal system that requires applicants to mail in their passports has resulted in passports lost in the mail or held up to 3 months (2). - Despite permission extensions, a valid up-to-date residence card is required to allow most non-EU international students to exit and reenter the country (1). These delays have meant that they haven’t been able to return home to care for sick family members or say goodbye to dying loved ones for fear of not being allowed to return. Heartbreaking stories of isolation, frustration, and loss currently fill the international student community. In addition, the recent ruling by the Court of Appeals (3), classifying international students who reside in Ireland for more than one year as “Ordinary Residents,” has put considerable financial burden on international students. Despite bringing in some 400 million euros to the Irish economy (4), international students are already required to pay 300 euros per year out of pocket for residency cards that must be renewed yearly. This ruling now additionally requires international students to purchase health insurance for immigration purposes costing 600+ euros per year (3, 5-7). It is illogical and excessive to classify students as Ordinary Residents and expect a yearly renewal fee - especially when students (Stamp 2) can't avail of social service benefits. Allowing international students, already dealing with family separation and heavy financial burden (1, 2, 8), to carry these burdens alone during a pandemic is unreasonable and inhumane. Irish Universities and Colleges – and the Irish Government - have a responsibility to support the students they recruit (9). We, the international students of Ireland, in conjunction with our allies, call on Helen McEntee (Department of Justice), Norma Foley (Department of Education), Simmon Harris (Department of Further Education, Research, Innovation, and Science), and Stephen Donnelly (Department of Health) to: 1.) Resolve the immigration appointment and application backlogs This could be accomplished through the implementation of a fast, secure, country-wide, fully-online renewal process. To avoid passports being lost or held for excessive periods of time, this could be accomplished via a “sticker system,” whereby applicants submit their details online and are issued a “sticker” in the mail that makes their permit valid until the COVID crisis is over. In addition to the online “sticker system,” issuing residence permits for non-EU students that last for the duration of a student’s study, as done in the United States and the Netherlands (for example), would help improve the situation; additionally, removing the yearly renewal process would help with the immigration appointment backlogs. As non-EU students are already under an obligation to report and change in details, and can only work 20 hours per week and thus would be unable to support themselves financially in Ireland’s high cost of living, there is little risk of these students using their residency cards to stay in Ireland under false pretenses. In addition, these issues have been addressed through simple mechanisms already done in other EU countries. 2.) Re-classify international students to avoid unreasonable healthcare costs Under no circumstances should students be forced to pay healthcare costs of 600+ euros following the Court of Appeal ruling (3). We therefore request that international students be declassified as Ordinary Residents. 3.) Consider international students when making policy decisions Take care to consider issues concerning international students when making future decisions regarding residency, visas, GNIB, health, housing, and the overall COVID response, to prevent further issues from arising. Sources: 1. Kenny, Aíne. “We are “cash cows” for the Irish university system, say international students.” Irish Examiner, 27 Oct 2020. 2. Surve, Aakanksha. “Ireland COVID-19 lockdown: An overwhelmed immigration system leaves hundreds in limbo,” DublinLive, 25 Oct 2020. 3. Tottenham BL, Mark. “Students in the State for over one year were “ordinary resident” for the purposes of medical insurance.” Decisis Law Report, 31 Oct 2020. 4. O’Brien, Carl. “Universities eye more Irish students to replace overseas losses” Irish Times, May 3 2020. 5. Curran, Ian. “I’m not sure my friends can afford it”: International students face hike in insurance costs.” theJournal.ie, 10 Oct 2020. 6 .Brady, Niall. “Why a Court of Appeal could cost Irish universities.” The Times, 12 April 2020. 7. Brady, Niall. “Higher education minister Simon Harris urged to prevent health cover hike for foreign students,” The Times, Sept 27 2020. 8. O'Connell, Pet. “Overseas students “isolated and homesick” under lockdown, say Cork campaigner.” Irish Examiner, Oct 22, 2020. 9. “Provision of Education to International Students: Code of Practice and Guidelines for Irish Higher Education Institutions.” Irish Higher Education Quality Network, 2018.

There is a great deal of concern from parents, teachers, principals and elected members of the Northern Ireland Assembly about the current private system of transfer tests and particularly during this pandemic year.

This is important to eradicate the exploitation of student healthcare workers working 39 hour weeks and paying tuition, travel costs and more. These students sacrifice their personal safety and finances to take care of sick and injured people in our hospitals on the daily which is of major public benefit at their expense. Implementing an allowance will also reduce the need for students to work a part time job on top of college and placement hours which will majorly reduce the risk of cross contamination in hospital wards.

For years Phoenix Park has been providing a place for exercise and fresh air but has never been fully utilised during the winter months due to poor lighting.In these winter months, people have a right to use and feel safe in their parks. This is especially important during Covid restrictions when indoor facilities are closed.  Many of us have other responsbilities such as work, caring, school etc during day light hours. The lack of lighting in the park means people feel unsafe going to get the exercise needed for our mental and physical health. We want the OPW to enable the public make use of the park, even during dark evenings. Additional lighting could be installed for limited periods along the main road, helping people stroll, walk or run safely throughout the winter months.

Debenhams workers have been on strike now for seven months. They have a collective agreement guaranteeing them two weeks’ redundancy pay per year in addition to statutory redundancy (2 plus 2). The liquidator KPMG is refusing to honour this agreement. The outcome of this dispute will have implications for all workers.

During the last peak of Covid-19 when students were heavily depended upon to help alleviate pressure on qualified nurses, the Department of Health recognised their efforts financially. No such payment is available this time, which has left students feeling massively undervalued. They have also been told not to speak to the media. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus/ni-student-nurses-risking-lives-without-pay-in-coronavirus-battle-39708516.html

Donald Trump has called for vote counting to cease. Democracy is at risk. We must do all we can to ensure that voters wishes are respected.

We call our government to do everything in its power to respect the wishes of US voters and if needed ensure a peaceful transfer of power in the United States in accordance with the law.

Immigrants spouses are being treated and marked as herds by giving them stamp 3/1g, making it impossible for them to access the job market. What are the spouses being punished for?? It is causing mental and health deterioration for the skilled immigrants who are suffering financially by being dependent on spouses. Isolation during covid-19 is building up some serious mental concerns as depression and suicidal thoughts. Furthermore adding to the misery of immigrants, stamp 1g is given to the graduates on job search and spouses of CSEP holders and hosting agreement holders. Recruiters are not willing to entertain anyone on Stamp 1g or stamp 3. Now with many of them listing an eligibility criteria as EU/Stamp 4 holder only may apply. Immigrants' spouses who have stamp 1g or stamp 3 are as if they are handcuffed for a crime which is simply being a dependent to a permit holder or critical skill worker. Dependent immigrants want to work and equally contribute to the society and pay taxes.

Nurses are at the frontline of our Covid19 response. Despite commitments made by Robin Swann to waive car parking fees for HSC staff until March 2021, the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust have stated they will not offer free parking to nurses working for them. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sunday-life/news/health-trusts-rake-in-30m-in-parking-fees-39663814.html

It is vital that tran* and intersex people are not subject to abuse and harassment. Twitter should be a safe and supportive platform for all to use. At present, abuse is poorly moderated, with abusive accounts running rampant. Reports are not adequately handled and in the rare occasions reports are taken seriously, banned accounts return using VPNs. Rules around restricting permissions of new accounts for a period of a month when they are first created would deter abusers. All in all, action is needed to make Twitter safe for all and to rid it of toxicity.

Students account for 20% of Ireland's population. Sending students to school in the current climate, while also considering that online learning was practiced successfully last year, is an unnecessary risk to public safety. Issues facing schools include confusion over the definition of a close contact, no guarantee of when a test result will be returned to a student, and no option for high-risk teachers to teach from home. An inadequate following of restrictions, including a lack of social distancing before and after school as well as at break times, masks not being used at break times and hand sanitizers being recalled because they were not safe are just some of the health concerns affecting schools. Finally, students are struggling massively with their mental health right now. The fear of contracting and possibly spreading Covid-19 to loved ones and high risk friends is leaving many students stressed and afraid to go to school.