Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As part of preparing this Bill, which took a long time to prepare it because we wanted to get it right by balancing the right to protest and civil liberties concerns with the need to protect patients and allow them to avail of healthcare without being intimidated, we consulted the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties. There was also extensive consultation at pre-legislation stage. We believe we have got the balance right but, like I say, it is a debate that we will have in the House and in the Seanad too.

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