Healthcare workers, abortion campaign groups and members of the public have contacted the Department of Health calling for it to implement safe access zones for abortion services.
The Department received 19 requests for Safe Access Zones since January 2022, according to documents seen by breakingnews.ie under the Freedom of Information Act.
Protests held outside medical centres and hospitals, and targeting people accessing abortion services were of concern, according to emails sent to the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly.
In February 2022, an email to Mr Donnelly called for the Department of Health to conduct an investigation into the ethical, data, GDPR, and possible legal breaches that might be involved in information about appointment scheduling at University Maternity Hospital Limerick being leaked to protesters.
Alleged data breaches at University Limerick Hospital were also raised in another email, with claims anti-abortion protests are coinciding with abortion appointments.
February 2022 also saw a doctor contact Mr Donnelly over the protests, claiming that "protesters stare down all of the women and girls who enter our building with a distasteful voyeuristic interest".
The doctor said "[our] children have to pass the protesters and require explanations as to why these people stand outside our premises with their profane banners protesting legal care that both my husband and I are providing."
In April of this year, in an email forwarded to Mr Donnelly from Fine Gael TD Hildegarde Naughton, a student University of Galway in April 2023 said three protestors were standing within 25 metres of University Hospital Galway, holding signs that said “Praying for You” and “Praying for Aborted Children”.
The student said the posters were "extremely upsetting". "I should be able to walk to college without having to see distressing posters and illegal activity," the student wrote.
Legislation
Later that month, the group Together for Safety asked for an update on the Safe Access Zone legislation, and questioned why nearly five years since the referendum on abortion services, it still has not been passed.
In the email, the group said: "88 per cent of the general public fully behind it, and traumatised women and pregnant people begging for it - but still, after five years of promises, we have no Safe Access Zones, and we have to wonder, with all that support, why it is not progressing?"
Last May, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin contacted Mr Donnelly for an update on Safe Access Zone legislation after receiving an email from Together for Safety, following Mr Donnelly stating in an interview on NewsTalk that Safe Access Zones would be fully operational by July.
In June, the group also raised further concerns over protests in Limerick, claiming a distressed woman contacted them about protesters outside Limerick maternity hospital.
A spokesperson from the Department of Health said: "The Minister for Health is committed to ensuring that there is safe access to termination of pregnancy services." They stated that the relevant bill was initiated in the Houses of the Oireachtas in early July and is currently at Second Stage in Dáil Éireann.
"Subject to the Parliamentary timetable, it is the Minister’s intention to progress this legislation as expeditiously as possible and to have it enacted by the end of the year."
On Wednesday, a motion passed in the Dáil by 111 votes to 10 to implement Safe Access Zones.
By Michael Bolton
