David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome very much the relaxation of the relationship between Cuba and the United States of America. It has taken 50 years, which is a hell of a long time. Through their secret agencies, the Americans have been involved in bombings, murder, invasion, assassination attempts on Fidel Castro, the Bay of Pigs and so on, so I am very glad that this is coming to an end.

Like Senator Mullins, I salute Pope Francis for his very positive intervention in this matter. However, I sincerely hope there will be a complete revision of the noxious and impertinent Helms-Burton legislation which purports to give the United States the right to dictate financial policy and trading relations to other countries throughout the world. We very recently saw an example of that where Bank of Ireland froze perfectly legitimate bank accounts on behalf of a Cuban solidarity group. This was an appalling infringement of our financial independence and I sincerely hope this is revised. As I understand it, the three remaining members of the Miami Five, who went to Florida to warn the United States about the armed activities of the anti-Castro movement there, who were arrested as spies in a most nasty and dangerous operation and who were incarcerated for many years, have been released. It is a good day and a positive move by the United States of America.