Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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745. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide a copy of briefings, advice given and received at the meeting held with the Joint Health Committee in March 2022 to discuss the challenges identified by his Department in relation to proposals to introduce criminal buffer zones surrounding abortion-providing facilities. [22846/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I am committed to ensuring safe access to termination of pregnancy services, and the area remains an ongoing priority for me and the Department of Health. At my request, officials met with the Health Committee in private session in March to collaboratively discuss options for overcoming the challenges that have been identified by the Department. I understand that it was a positive session and that the Committee are very supportive of the work and are also keen to progress the legislation. Officials have listened carefully to the views and inputs of the Committee and will consider these views with regard to their ongoing work on this matter.

With regard to the request for advice, legal advice is confidential and privileged, and therefore cannot be shared. However, at the Health Committee meeting, officials outlined the complexities involved in progressing robust legislation on this matter. I outlined these complexities in the Seanad on 10th November 2021 as outlined in the transcript of that debate (available here  www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/2021-11-10/15/).

This issue is a priority me. My Department is working to address the challenges associated with legislating for safe access to termination of pregnancy services and, subject to Government approval, I plan to have proposals for safe access on the legislative programme this year.