Health committee paves way for abortion safe access zone laws

A cross-party group of senators, TDs, and campaigners from Together for Safety in support of the Safe Access to Termination of Pregnancy Bill outside Leinster House last April. File picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

The Oireachtas health committee has paved the way for the introduction of legislation to allow for safe access zones outside hospitals and GP surgeries that provide abortion services.

The laws, which will ban protests outside facilities that provide abortion services, had been referred to the health committee for scrutiny.