All maternity hospitals expected to be able to provide abortion services by early next year, Dáil told

All maternity hospitals are expected to be able to provide abortion services by early next year, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has said.

Mr Donnelly said it had to be ensured such services are available around the country. The minister was speaking in the Dáil on Wednesday, as the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023 was being debated at second stage.

The proposed legislation would prohibit anti-abortion protests within 100 metres of any facility that could be providing access to terminations.

Mr Donnelly said it was his intention that by early 2024, all 19 maternity hospitals would provide abortion services.

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“The latest update I have from the Department is that we are on track for 17 of the 19 [maternity hospitals] to provide those services by the end of this year, and for the remaining two next year,” he said.

“These are legally provided and lawful services. While we must and do respect people’s views, and while conscientious objection is rightly embedded in the legislation and any healthcare worker is obviously free to exercise that right, we must ensure these services are provided around the country.”

An independent review of the State’s abortion law has been referred to the Oireachtas health committee. The report, from barrister Marie O’Shea, recommends the removal of a three-day reflection period for women seeking an abortion, the decriminalisation of doctors who fail to adhere to current legislation and potential changes to the granting of abortions in the case of fatal foetal abnormalities.

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Mr Donnelly said the legislative proposals would be looked at “in detail” by the Oireachtas. In relation to the safe access zone legislation, the minister said it would not interfere with the right to advocate in favour of or against abortion, apart from in the limited areas covered by the zones.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik said GPs from rural areas in particular had reported that they, their frontline staff, administrators, receptionists, and patients may be subject to abuse and intimidation.

“Most of us have seen some of the posters, heard some of the chants and observed some of the behaviour of those who organise these so-called protests,” she said.

“Some of them gather very near here, outside the National Maternity Hospital...Of course, individuals are entitled to have different views. Of course, individuals are entitled under our Constitution to the freedom of assembly and association, but they are not entitled to harass patients who are accessing healthcare or to harass medics and healthcare workers who are doing their jobs.”

Sinn Féin’s health spokesman David Cullinane said the Government had been “slow” in bringing forward the legislation.

Mr Cullinane said there were some issues remaining with the Bill, particularly around enforceability.

“I would prefer to see a clear, practical and effective system of recording prior warnings included in the Bill,” he said.

“As it stands, it is unclear if warnings will carry over to different locations or if the Garda will be equipped to enable a tracking of warnings issued under this legislation.

“That means that a person can receive a warning at multiple locations without committing an offence which would undermine the whole purpose of the Bill.

“I would ask the minister to work with the Garda, the Minister for Justice and the Opposition before Committee Stage to bring an effective agreed amendment forward which will ensure the enforceability of this legislation.”