Cabinet to ensure abortion provider exclusion zones

The Cabinet will today sign off on plans to introduce exclusion zones around hospitals to ensure women seeking abortions are not intimidated by protesters as part of post-Eighth Amendment referendum plans.

The point will be made in long-expected legislation published in the wake of May’s national vote, which will mirror the previously published heads of bill allowing for unrestricted access to abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

The legislation, which will be published this afternoon but will not be discussed by the Oireachtas until the autumn due to ongoing high court cases, is almost identical to the heads of bill published in late spring.