Human rights groups drafting legislation to introduce safe access zones for abortion services

Safe access zones were meant to be introduced in 2019 as part of the legislation which repealed the 8th amendment, but they are yet to be implemented

Health minister Stephen Donnelly did not provide firm timelines for legislation to introduce safe access zones. File Picture: PA Wire

Campaigners and human rights groups are now working to draft legislation to introduce safe access zones around health centres that provide abortion services, in a bid to get laws passed as soon as possible.

It comes after the Department of Health told the Irish Examiner that existing public order laws already cover any problems that arise at protests, adding that there have been "a limited number of reports of protests" which is "an extremely positive development".