All health facilities that could offer abortion will get safe access zones

The Oireachtas health committee discussing the Safe Access Zones Bill yesterday. Picture: oireachtas.ie 

Safe access zones of 100m will be applied to all healthcare providers to protect them from anti-abortion protests. The protective zones — areas where protesting will be illegal — will cover all facilities that could offer terminations even if they are not doing so.

Terminations are available at 11 maternity units while medical terminations take place at one third of GP practices and some reproductive health clinics.

Enforcing non-protest zones around all facilities reduces the risk of women being targeted for having a termination, the Oireachtas health committee heard on Wednesday during discussions on the Safe Access Zones Bill.

Yvie Murphy, a campaigner for women’s rights and spokeswoman for Together for Safety, which has been campaigning for safe access zones, said: 

“It will absolutely make a difference, not only to the service users but also to GPs who are maybe afraid to offer abortion services at the moment.

Knowing that this 100m safe access will be in place means that they will actually feel safer.

"It would be a blanket across all of them so you can’t protest outside any of them because you don’t know if they are or aren’t providing [terminations].”

The campaign group has spoken with An Garda Síochána about the practicalities of enforcing safe access zones and has urged further discussions to ensure women feel safer when attending an appointment.

We’re delighted to hear that the Joint Committee on Health will be meeting tomorrow for pre legislative scrutiny of the proposed Safe Access Zones bill. One step closer to #SafeAccessZonesNOW ! https://t.co/hfR2bHQy55

— Together for Safety (@together_safety) October 18, 2022

Department of Health assistant secretary Muiris O’Connor said they have been working closely with gardaí and the attorney general on the issue.

“The proposals aim to establish a 100m safe access zone around all healthcare facilities that can provide termination of pregnancy services, not just those that currently do, including for example, all hospitals and GP practices,” he said.

In addition, the bill aims to prevent intimidation or harassment of women and healthcare staff.

“We are very conscious too of the chilling effect,” said Mr O’Connor, adding that:  

The actual protests cause harm and distress but fear of protests is constraining the rollout [of services].

Mr O'Connor added that the right to protection must be balanced against the right to legitimate protest.

Bioethics expert Caitriona Mason said discussion continues around penalties and suggestions were made for a centralised record of infringements.