On the issue of the 100 m limit, Senator Mullen is saying, on the one hand, that there is no problem or issue here, and if that is the case, he should not have an objection to this legislation at all. He is saying there are no protests outside any of these facilities and, therefore, we should have no issue with passing the legislation. That aside, the idea that women who go in to access healthcare need people in their faces to remind them to think about something is highly patronising. Everybody thinks before they …

I thank the Minister of State for coming in. As she is aware, Senator Kyne and I jointly submitted this Commencement matter. It is really important we all stand together when it comes to the people of Clifden because once again confusion abounds when it comes to Clifden District Hospital. As Senator Kyne outlined, we had a public meeting which was packed. It was cross-party. We all want to work to try to improve things, but the frustration we feel is nothing compared to that felt by people on the ground, patients a…

There should not be a choice between one and the other. There should not be a choice between St. Anne's community nursing unit and Clifden District Hospital. When staff numbers are down in a large hospital like University Hospital Galway or Merlin Park it is not ideal but it can be absorbed. However, when staff are down in a small hospital like the one we have in Connemara the hospital closes. This is an ongoing issue. There does not seem to be any sustainable solution to this, so people do not have confidence that…

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, for coming to the House and staying for the debate. I also thank the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, for her work in this area, which was rightly pointed out by the previous speaker. I do a lot of canvassing, as many colleagues do, and one of the recurring themes at the doorsteps is disability rights and the situation of carers. It is our job to bring all those concerns to Parliament and have them addressed. I thank the Fine Gael Senators for allowing us all the opp…

Tairgim: "GO ndéanfar an ráiteas atá leagtha amach sa Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Rún seo a fhorordú mar eolas do vótálaithe, de bhun alt 23 d'Acht an Reifrinn, 1994 (Uimh. 12 de 1994), i ndáil leis an togra chun an Bunreacht a leasú, atá ar áireamh sa Bhille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023, agus is ábhar do reifreann bunreachta. An Sceideal An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023 – Páipéar Ballóide Bán Ráiteas mar Eolas do Vótálaithe Fiafraítear …

I move: That, in accordance with precedent and Standing Order 152, consideration of sections 1 and 2 of the Bill be postponed until the Schedule shall have been disposed of.

As there are a lot of amendments in this grouping, I will speak to them broadly. It is really significant and important during the lifetime of this Government that we have done what many Governments have failed to do in the past, that is, to take out the sexist language, which is what the proposal is here. We take out the sexist language while still recognising the importance of family care. It is important here to state what my background is. I have heard many people make a lot of assumptions about the kind of con…

The Minister of State is very welcome. I am raising the issue of the citizens' assembly on education this morning. I am failing in my efforts to find a date for this citizens' assembly. That is why I, unfortunately, have had to call the Minister of State to the Seanad. Under this Government, a number of successful citizens’ assemblies have been held. I am passionate about the process. For that reason, we sought to include a citizens’ assembly on education in the programme for Government. It is the final citizens’ a…

With due respect to the Minister of State, when I last raised a Commencement matter, it related to his Department, yet it was the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, who took it. Today, I am raising an education matter and the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, is taking it. Neither situation is desirable. It sounds like the Minister of State’s response was written by departmental officials and the Minister for Education has not had sight of it. It effectively says that the issue has nothing to do with the Depa…

I thank the Minister. I am delighted to see this day. I have to comment on the complete hypocrisy on display from Senators Keogan and Mullen, who have now left the Chamber.

Things go both ways here.

That is fine.

That is fine. I was not commenting on why they have left.

I am going to speak to what has just been spoken about.

Senator Keogan mentioned that people will no longer be allowed to stand silently. Senator Mullen said there is no issue and nothing is happening in Cork. I have in my hand a tweet from Senator Mullen that reads, "I encourage people in Ballinasloe and the surrounding area ... to engage with medical and other staff ... to discourage the practice of abortion and to never let up". That is a tweet. We know the damage that social media does and we now have a Senator on social media encouraging people to stop and interfer…

-----and disgrace that any politician would do that to staff who are going about their business. We had a referendum and not everybody voted in favour, but this is the way laws work. We vote, and take it on the chin if we do not get what we want and the laws are passed. I am encouraged by this legislation. Unfortunately, only one in ten GP practices engage in allowing women to have abortions, as is their legal right. I am also delighted that Portiuncula University Hospital, Ballinasloe, has, as of last week, starte…

This legislation is an important part of the work that is going on. I again thank the Minister. I am delighted to be here on this significant and important day.

I move: “That Seanad Éireann: recognises that: - hair loss during cancer treatment or chemotherapy-induced alopecia is one of the most common side effects of cancer therapy; it can have a profoundly negative impact on cancer patients, often compounding the worry and trauma they are experiencing dealing with the cancer itself; further recognises that: - there is a hypothermia treatment which can help minimise hair loss for those undergoing chemotherapy, known as scalp cooling; this involves using a ‘cold cap’ machin…

I thank the Minister for being here today. I also thank Bríd McGrath who is in the Public Gallery. She raised this issue with me and since then we have been working together on it. We have discovered that a large number of people in Ireland have benefited from cold cap treatment in hospitals. In some ways it is quite straightforward. Much research have been done and in over 50% of cases, cold caps significantly reduce hair loss. There is also a large amount of research which shows that hair loss is reported as the …

I will first address the cost. The HSE wrote directly to Deputy Leddin, whom I asked to raise a parliamentary question about the costing, and told him that purchasing it would cost between €20,000 and €230,000, including VAT. What price a woman’s health? It is such a small amount of money. We know that women have lost faith in the health service, particularly cancer services, and we have a history of letting them down. This is a small action that could be taken to restore women’s faith to some extent. When going th…