Protesters outside facilities providing abortion services could face fines of €2.5k

Anti-abortion campaigners could face fines for breaking safe access zones. Picture: Stephen Collins /Collins Photos

People protesting outside healthcare facilities that provide abortion services could face fines of up to €2,500 or up to six months in prison under long-awaited new measures.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is expected to bring forward a memo to Cabinet on safe access zones as early as next week, paving the way for the legislation to be introduced in the Oireachtas before the summer recess.

It comes as the latest figures show an increase in the number of people who accessed abortions in Ireland last year, with more than 8,000 carried out.

The introduction of safe access zones to protect pregnant people from harassment and intimidation when accessing a termination had been promised in tandem with the rollout of abortion services in 2019. However, the legislation has yet to be enacted.

The proposed laws will mean safe access zones of 100m will apply from an entrance or exit to a premises where services could be provided.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is expected to bring forward a memo on safe access zones as early as next week. Picture: Brian Lawless

It is understood, however, that the proposed legislation will preserve the right to protest or advocate in favour or against abortion outside of the 100m protected areas.

The process

Under the measures, gardaí will first have to issue a person protesting in a safe access zone with a “warning”. 

The criminal offence would only occur if the person engages in prohibited conduct after the warning is issued. 

This is in line with a recommendation from the joint committee on health, which also said there would be a requirement to record the warning.

Offences will be prosecuted in the district court, and penalties will be on an escalating basis, with the harshest penalties to apply for repeat offences. 

Fines up to €2,500 and or up to six months in prison will likely be included in the legislation for multiple or repeat offences.

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Figures released yesterday show that 8,156 medical termination procedures were carried out in 2022.

This is up from 4,577 in 2021, 6,577 medical procedures in 2020, and 6,666 in 2019.

The highest number of terminations were in Dublin with 3,005 recorded, while 734 medical abortions were carried out in Cork, and a further 377 in Limerick.

Meanwhile, new UK figures show 85 women gave Irish addresses when having an abortion in England or Wales between January and June last year.