I add my voice to the comments made today by Senators Mullen, Gallagher, O’Reilly and McCarthy on the new Bill introduced by Sinn Féin to eliminate the three-day waiting period before receiving an abortion, and to express my sadness at its being passed on Second Stage last night. With the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste standing back on this issue, it is very worrying.

It is very worrying because there is no real evidence that there is broad public demand for this reform. In fact, most Irish people, even those who are in favour of abortion, believe there is a need to reduce it. Many who voted yes in the referendum only did so with the assurance that they would allow it in moderate and reasonable circumstances. Instead, the leadership of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are caving in to a loud but small group of people who are privileged to be disproportionately represented and present in higher echelons of society and politics and do not reflect the popular democratic feelings. I am deeply worried about this because it is exactly what many of us who supported the eighth amendment feared and warned about, that is, once the issue of abortion was taken out of the Constitution and put into statute, we would see a slow, continual coup, an erosion of any safeguards or measures to reduce abortion and would find ourselves on a slippery slope towards total, unlimited abortion access.

There is something quite cynical in Sinn Féin bringing this forward so soon after such a similar Bill by the Social Democrats fell through. Of course it is entitled to do so but just because it is permitted does not mean it is right. Like the Government parties, Sinn Féin also appears to be listening to the loud but minority left-wing ideologues within its ranks and not to its broader Catholic, nationalist and pro-family membership and voter base. In this Bill, both the Government and the left Opposition appear more content in copying their English counterparts in Keir Starmer's Labour Party than in doing the right thing by the Irish people and they will not forgive them come the next election.

This week is Men's Health Week, and I acknowledge and support that here in the Seanad. Men face higher risks of premature mortality, often because they are slow to get things checked out. Men are known for not talking about health issues and certainly not going to their doctors to get things checked, so the motto for this week is, “one step at a time, progress not perfection". This aims to encourage men to make small changes rather than attempting huge, chronic changes in their lives. We need to encourage our menfolk to talk about their health and get things checked out. We as women are much better, certainly at talking about our health, and it is proven that we are better at going to our GPs to get things checked. It is important that it comes from here that men should look after themselves.

I agree with my colleague, Senator Collins. It is right that the three-day rule is hopefully going to be got rid of because it is about choice and respect for women. If I went to a doctor and the doctor told me that I had to think about it for three days, I would find that really patronising. As I do not think it would happen to a man, I do not think it should happen to women either in terms of healthcare.

Cuba is facing an extraordinarily difficult economic situation as a result of the illegal trade blockade imposed by the Trump regime. Sinn Féin activists and representatives and the Cuba Solidarity Forum Ireland have donated and organised containers of medical supplies for Cuba to help alleviate some of the most severe effects of this blockade. I thank everyone who contributed to this important cause. The blockade has resulted in severe shortages of food, medicine, and other necessities. It is having a dire impact on ordinary Cuban citizens. This is nothing new, as the Cuban people have been enduring this situation for more than 60 years, but those in power in the United States are clearly trying to put maximum economic pressure on Cuba to try to force regime change. This blockade has been repeatedly condemned by the UN General Assembly, which votes practically every year to call on the United States to end its blockade. Despite this, American policy is going in the other direction and Trump, Rubio and their acolytes have been trying to bully other sovereign states to stop their trade with Cuba. It is just another example of the terminal decline of international law and institutions.

Since the illegal and criminal US military actions in Venezuela, we have seen an escalation of aggression towards Cuba and it is not unlikely that this country will be next targeted by Trump. Some will claim the US won in Venezuela. That is debatable. It has clearly lost in Iran and now Trump will be setting his sights on a new target, which is likely to be Cuba. In particular, the Trump regime has been trying to deprive Cuba of its energy supply by trying to force Mexico and other countries to stop perfectly legitimate bilateral trade with Cuba. It has also been propagating false propaganda narratives that Cuba somehow poses a threat to the United States as a clear means of justifying a future war. For anybody who knows anything about geopolitics, that is clearly not true. Ireland and the EU have a responsibility to stand up to Trump and his endless aggression.

Well said, but the Senator might add that Cuba is not exactly one of the great democracies either.