Hospitals not place for anti-abortion rallies say ministers; Campaigners defend right to peaceful protest

Health Minister Simon Harris has said he is pressing ahead with plans to introduce exclusion zones around maternity hospitals after tweeting that he was “appalled” at new video images of a New Year’s Day protest outside the National Maternity Hospital.

Update 10.55am by Vivenne Clarke: Minister of State for Disability Finian McGrath has criticised anti-abortion protesters who demonstrated outside the National Maternity Hospital at Holles Street, Dublin on New Year’s Day.

While he respected the right to protest, outside hospitals was not the place to do that, he told RTÉ radio’s Today with Séan O’Rourke show.