Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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69. To ask the Minister for Health when the legislation for exclusion zones is expected to be ready in order to protect women from harassment, deception and coercion with the aim of obstructing healthcare. [20835/19]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, it is my intention to introduce legislation to ensure safe access to premises in which termination of pregnancy services may be provided.

It was originally intended to provide for safe access in the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, but a number of legal issues were identified during the drafting process. In order to allow full consideration of these issues, and so that the publication of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill would not be delayed, last September the Government approved the drafting of a separate legislation on safe access to health services.

Officials in my Department are working with the Office of the Attorney General on this legislation with the intention of having legislative proposals drafted by the summer.