Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is welcome to the House to take this important Bill. I welcome it, and I commend all those, in this House and outside it, who have brought us to this point. We need to legislate for safe access zones at abortion clinics urgently. This issue is about respect and dignity. It is concerned with supporting women’s right to make these decisions and about supporting their dignity and their privacy. Sadly, legislation in this regard is undoubtedly needed. It is sad to think that we are in a position where we must bring this Bill before the House, but this is the situation. People’s right to protest is, of course, of paramount importance. We must support that right. There is, however, a distinct difference between registering a protest about something and hiding behind one’s right to protest in order to intimidate people from accessing healthcare. That is what this legislation is concerned with. It is about intimidation.

Safe access zones are needed to protect the right to protest and people’s right to access healthcare. They are already used in other countries, including parts of Canada, Australia and the US. We must follow suit. This is already an incredibly sensitive and upsetting time for women. They deserve our respect and protection and that of the State. I am concerned that protests at these clinics will deter people from exercising their right to access healthcare, many of whom are in crisis pregnancy situations and do not need extra pressure or stress. As the chair of the Women’s Caucus, I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure that people’s access to healthcare is protected.