Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I welcome all the guests this morning and thank them for their presentation. I will start by stating I fully support this legislation and certainly most members of the committee will do all they can to ensure its speedy passage when published. There is no doubt that the current frequency of protests outside healthcare facilities is extremely disturbing and upsetting for people availing of services. It is worth repeating that everyone in this country has a right to access all legal health services free from intimidation and harassment and that has to be the starting point. The other aspect of this of course is that these protests have a very chilling effect on the provision of services, both in terms of GP and hospital services. We have to remind ourselves that we still are at a very early stage in terms of the provision of abortion services on a countrywide basis in that currently, only 413 GPs have a contract for the provision of terminations. We are still at a point where only 11 of the 19 maternity hospitals provide termination services. There is a very long way to go and there is no doubt, particularly in rural areas, that the threat of protest does not encourage people - GPs or hospitals - to provide services. That is why this legislation is absolutely necessary and we need to have it in place very quickly.

I will raise a number of issues with Mr. O'Connor about the heads of the legislation. First is an issue that came up in feedback the organisation Together for Safety came across, namely, the need to ensure that industrial action is protected at hospitals and at GP surgeries. To what extent has this been provided for and how does the Department intend to ensure this legislation does not cut across the right to industrial action, which is obviously a very basic right?