Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly: 'Safe access zones will now become a reality in our country.' Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
The Bill will prohibit anti-abortion protests within 100 metres of any facility that could be providing access to terminations. This will allow for exclusion zones around all hospitals, GP practices and other facilities such as the Dublin Well Woman Centre and Irish Family Planning Association services.
Mr Donnelly said “the reality is that our country has a very dark history when it comes to women’s healthcare and women’s reproductive rights”. But this legislation is one important step in “making sure that Ireland is one of the most advanced countries anywhere in the world when it comes to modern, progressive, safe and expert women’s health services”.
He said Mr Donnelly “has got an easy win for himself by caving in to an activist group and by attacking the peaceful expression of dissent on abortion”. He said if that did not happen “I encourage peaceful protesters to challenge this legislation. People should continue to witness respectfully and not to be intimidated by a Government that wants to silence people”.