In March 2022 former Minister for Infrastructure Nichola Mallon refused permission for the planning application for a mechanical biological treatment (MBT) facility and waste incinerator at Hightown Quarry, beside North Belfast. The planning decision was made following over 5,000 objections submitted by the local community, and a wide range of political representatives from MPs to Councillors. It will increase the market for waste disposal and discourage recycling. Waste technology, waste composition and recycling policies had all moved on since the project was first conceived 15 years ago, and it should be abandoned once and for all - not blindly pursued with public money. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-60893249 The planning refusal followed a long running campaign by the No-Arc21 group who represent residents around the Mallusk, North Belfast and South Antrim areas, who are opposed to the controversial project. This planning application was refused by a previous Environment Minister Mark Durkan, and successfully challenged in the Courts by No- Arc21. There is comprehensive and widespread political opposition to the project from all political Parties in South Antrim and beyond. Alternative do exist and if this Incinerator goes ahead it will reduce recycling and result in millions of tonnes of CO2 being emitted and accelerating climate change. This challenge is a flagrant waste of public money and resources can be better targeted to increase recycling to 70% by 2030 as per the Climate Change targets on Waste Management. During the current inflationary pressures that many households and workers are facing at present, councils should not be wasting more money on a legal case which questions local Ministerial powers to make such decisions. Over £20 million has been spent on the "Waste Monster" to date, how many pot holes, hospital beds, pay rises for key workers etc. could have been sorted in the over eight years of this white elephant. Bin the Burner

Thousands of people are being forced into factory-like accomodation with camp beds in halls, insecure hostels and cramped institutions, while some are even pitching tents or sleeping on the streets. Meanwhile thousands of homes lie empty across the Island - some have been built by toxic vulture funds and are owned by banks and businesses waiting on the prices to rise to turn a quick buck. Others are lying in disrepair with little intention to be used again. Many Airbnb’s and tourist lets are used only for a few weeks of the year.

To help encourage people that this day and age, everyone from any place, race, age, gender should be accepted no matter what. Especially in the area of Blanchardstown where most crime and violence occur, people have fear of coming out. It would make such a difference to display the rainbow-pride crossing on that particular busy intersection as it could make a very big change mainly on the peoples perspective on the LGBTQIA+ community.

I am a woman living with Young Onset Parkinsons Disease and working as a Dietitian who provides a dietetic call back service for people living with Parkinson’s. I come off my calls depressed at the negligence of care of my fellow PD patients around the country. Tonight I cannot sleep after the awful stories I heard today. I cannot stand by and hear it happen again and again. It is negligent how the state is treating people with Parkinson’s. I cannot even put into words the awful ways people are suffering. The over 12,000 people battling the fastest growing neurological disease are being mistreated and forgotten. Many of those battling this condition do not have the voice (some literally due to the disease) and their care givers are too worn out to fight the system. Please lend your voice to raise the voices of the many who are suffering around the country. It has to stop. Imagine your mum, dad, sibling, son, daughter, friend or colleague being left to deteriorate slowly but surely and you have to watch helplessly. This is what is happening AROUND the country and it is negligent. People with Parkinson’s are meeting with TDS for an AV Room presentation on July 6th in the Dail campaigning for proper care for people with Parkinson’s Disease. We need 5000 signatures to raise the voices of those suffering. Please sign my petition and please share with your network and ask them to sign.

Methane emissions from animals is a well-known issue. Cows alone are responsible for about 40% of those planet-warming gases globally — mainly through their burps. UC Davis scientist Ermias Kebreab is something of a cow whisperer who has spent two decades studying the greenhouse gas contributions of hoofed animals. "If you tell me how much your animal is consuming, I can tell you pretty closely to the actual emissions using mathematical models," he said. "Most of the gas is formed in their stomach, so in their guts, particularly in the first chamber. And so they belch it out." He and other scientists have developed special diets and genetic predictions that could help reduce the methane formed in cow stomachs. Now, New Zealand could become the first country to tax its way to fewer "four-legged" emissions. There were 7.3 million cattle, 5.5 million sheep, 1.6 million pigs and almost 16.5 million poultry on Irish farms in 2020, while the average farm size has increased by 0.7 hectares (or 2.2 per cent) in 2020.

Evidence has shown that North Kildare is not getting its share of community resources. No swimming pool, no waste facilities, the Wonderful Barn not invested in, decrepit playgrounds, not enough youth facilities beyond sports. We need community investment along with new housing.

Using Afrikaans to verify citizenship is racist, ignorant and insulting.

Thousands of people are being forced into factory-like accomodation with camp beds in halls, insecure hostels and cramped institutions, while some are even pitching tents or sleeping on the streets. Meanwhile thousands of homes lie empty across the Island - some have been built by toxic vulture funds and are owned by banks and businesses waiting on the prices to rise to turn a quick buck. Others are lying in disrepair with little intention to be used again. Many Airbnb’s and tourist lets are used only for a few weeks of the year.

Thousands of people are being forced into factory-like accomodation with camp beds in halls, insecure hostels and cramped institutions, while some are even pitching tents or sleeping on the streets. Meanwhile thousands of homes lie empty across the Island - some have been built by toxic vulture funds and are owned by banks and businesses waiting on the prices to rise to turn a quick buck. Others are lying in disrepair with little intention to be used again. Many Airbnb’s and tourist lets are used only for a few weeks of the year.

Many people are struggling to find suitable accommodation with their pets and some are even forced to give up their much loved pets. Let's do what the French do. Allow our cats and dogs etc. to live with us.

Unregulated private consultants or 'experts' are routinely used in the Family Law Courts to determine if children should be forced to be 'reconciled' with a parent (usually a father) without any consideration of the children's wishes or reports of evidence of abuse and violence in the home.  Because of the 'in camera' rule there is no exposure of this widespread practice, no data, no oversight or accountability and if women and children speak about what is happening they can be criminalised for breaking the 'in camera' rule.  Very recently a woman's young children were taken without warning from their school in the company of Gardai. They were removed from the care of their mother and the only home they have ever known and forced to live in their father’s house. They are not allowed to see or speak to their mother.  The children have told their teachers, doctor and the social workers what they want and why but the court won’t listen and says they can’t have a voice - on the recommendation of a so called unregulated 'family expert witness'. The 2015 Child and Family Relationship Act says that all children have a right to be heard in matters concerning their lives and should be involved in decisions made about them. The children’s father has continued to exert power and control through post-separation abuse. The greatest way to hurt her is by taking the children away from her, aided by unregulated experts in the family law courts who are silencing victims of domestic violence and their children. We hear from many mothers who are victims of domestic and sexual violence, that in the family courts, when it comes to guardianship, custody and access hearings, domestic abuse survivors are not being heard or prioritised. Many of the reports are very similar to the story outlined above.  The reasons offered for these forced separation/reconciliation decisions by 'family court experts' are unreliable. Their arguments draw on concepts that are unscientific and discredited ie. parental alienation.  To stop this 'in plain sight' abuse of children and women who are survivors of violence - scrutiny of the decisions being made in Family Law Courts is urgently needed. Unregulated experts have to be investigated and their decisions published and reviewed. Mandatory training and education, accreditation and accountability for all professionals is desperately needed for all professionals working in the Family Courts. There must be independent monitoring and oversight.  Children should have the right to live free from fear. Our children should never be subjected to forced removal from their home and family and silenced by so called unregulated 'experts'. Children’s views, voice and wishes, their feelings and human rights should be paramount in all decisions by the court regarding contact arrangements.

On the 9th of March, a motion to ban the building of further data centres in the constituency was put forward by Cllr Madeleine Johansson of People Before Profit and passed with the support of Sinn Fein, Social Democrats and several independent councillors. There are several reasons councillors voted to ban further Data centres in the region: Ireland currently holds 25% of Erops Data centres and South Dublin is quickly becoming the Data centre hub of Ireland with TikTok set to build one of the biggest Data Centres in Europe in Clondalkin which would use up the same amount of energy in one day then the whole of Clondalkin in three months. It is estimated that 10% of Ireland’s electricity use is currently consumed by data centres and this is expected to increase to 25-30% by 2030. Data centres consume an average of 2% of electricity globally. The continued building of new data centres is incompatible with any hope we have of reaching our climate targets in CO2 reductions. It is clear from EirGrid’s initial statement in late 2021 that the grid in Dublin is struggling to cope, something more data centres would put a further strain on. In addition to the large amount of energy used by data centres they also consume large amounts of water, again adding pressure on the capacity of water services in South Dublin where we are seeing large new housing developments. Despite the motion passing however, there is now an attempt to overturn this decision. Councillors will vote again on this on the 21st June when it will be either included in the plan or removed. After that it will be sent to the Minister for Local Government Darragh O'Brien. We need the Minister and the government to support the democratic vote of local councillors and keep the ban in place. Please sign the petition.