Anti-abortion protests will soon be banned outside hospitals and clinics that provide termination services.
Protestors will not be allowed to gather within 100 metres of these healthcare facilities under the new legislation, which will be fast-tracked through the Dáil and Seanad.
According to The Irish Examiner, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has finalised the General Scheme of a Bill which will introduce 'safe access zones.' The aim of these is to protect women and staff from being intimidated when entering facilities that provide abortion care.
Senior counsel was asked to review the Bill from a constitutional and human rights point of view. The Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Justice were also consulted.
Engaging in conduct that is intended to, or could be expected to, put moral pressure on a person is included in the bill, as is intimidating, harassing behavior, and blocking access.
It is expected that the legislation will be prioritised during the Autumn session and be signed into law by Christmas.
Safe access zones
It was originally promised that safe access zones would be introduced along with abortion services in January 2019, but legal and constitutional difficulties came up.
The Irish Examiner reported that in 2019, concerns were raised to the Gardaí by senior HSE officials in relation to the lack of safe zones influencing some GPs' willingness to provide the service.
Campaigners have called for the immediate introduction of safe access zones, stating that current laws do not cover silent protests which have taken place outside healthcare facilities.
Previous protests
Last year, protests took place at healthcare facilities in Waterford as well as Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Limerick, Roscommon, Tipperary, and Wicklow.
A report published by NUI Maynooth found that the most common type of protest was silent street gatherings.
Props such as white crosses and posters and placards with graphic images of fetuses were regularly used.
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