I was shocked at the comments of Deputy Richmond last night. After attending the annual conference of the International Planned Parenthood Federation on Monday, he has committed to doubling its funding from the Irish taxpayer. There is something incredibly colonialist about the West's tendency to eagerly fund abortions in developing countries. I remember a time when Ireland would send food, water and clothing, but now we pay for impoverished mothers to abort their children. The constant push for more abortions from the Government and the Opposition is really regressive and I cannot figure out where it is coming from. Yesterday, the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste said they would be supporting Sinn Féin's Bill to remove the three-day wait period safeguard. This could be the first time in the Thirty-fourth Dáil that either the Taoiseach or the Tánaiste has voted for something coming from the Opposition. They are happy to support more abortions but voted against the emergency winter payment for people with disabilities, against paid leave for women going for cancer screening, and against sanctions for Israel. They will not remove the means test for carers, they refuse to introduce a second rate of child benefit and they fail to protect vulnerable children in State care. What is the Government offering young women? It is offering fake pity and weak apologies. It is saying "sorry you cannot afford a home, sorry you cannot afford groceries, sorry you have to live in your childhood bedroom but do not worry about raising a baby in your mam's house because we will just pay for an abortion for you." I was sitting my junior certificate when I was pregnant with my first child. Yes, it was tough at times but my life was not over. Instead of telling women their life is over if they get pregnant, how about we provide options for them to be able to keep their babies and raise them to be proud citizens of this country?