Legislation to ban anti-abortion protests outside facilities to come into force

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has finalised a Bill to introduce safe access zones to protect women and staff from intimidation when entering healthcare facilities.

Anti- abortion protests will be banned outside maternity hospitals and clinics providing termination of pregnancy services under new laws due to come into force later this year.

Protesters will not be allowed to gather within 100 metres of specified healthcare facilities where terminations are carried out under the legislation, which will now be fast-tracked through the Dáil and Seanad.