Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I respect all views on this issue. My view is very clear. I believe these services need to be available legally and safely for women. Ireland has a very dark history when it comes to women's healthcare, particularly regarding women's reproductive rights. This Bill is one modest step that we are taking in the right direction.

I wholeheartedly agree with the right to protest and the freedom to do so. I say that as someone who has been the subject of several protests outside my own house. I fully respect the right. This Bill is about protecting the right of women to access healthcare services in our country with privacy and dignity and without harassment, which they do experience in some cases. The very same applies to our healthcare providers. The reason the existing public order legislation is not sufficient is for this very reason. Relying on the existing legislation risks an inability to intervene and secure the stated objectives of privacy and freedom from harassment for women and healthcare providers.

With regard to Deputy Bríd Smith's amendments, the legislation as worded allows the Garda the necessary flexibility within the confines of its existing systems. Critically, it permits the future use of centrally recorded warnings. There is nothing that precludes this. We have that fully covered. Moreover, I shall be proposing in a later amendment that we review all this in 18 months so that, if there is an issue, it can be dealt with.

Let me refer to Deputy Bríd Smith's opening comments, in which she very reasonably referred to the electoral zones. I believe she said the gardaí apply common sense, work together in a local area, know who the messers are, know if there is co-ordinated activity and very quickly work to address it.

For all these reasons, I strongly believe the Bill, as amended and with the written warnings based on feedback from the committee, and as I hope it will be amended shortly by way of a review in 18 months, does what we are trying to achieve and strikes the right balance.

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