Pro-life groups praying on church grounds but within reach of an abortion clinic, would be criminalised in a new bill, according to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.
Presenting the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023 in the Dáil on Wednesday, Mr Donnelly said the bill will create a 100m radius zone from the entrance or exit to a premises where obstetricians, gynaecologists and GPs provide or administer abortions.
Where a church falls within that 100m zone, he said the bill “ensures that conduct which would otherwise be lawful, which occurs within a public place, meaning a building of worship, is not prohibited. This is to protect, for example, sermons that may be given during church services”.
However, he added, “It should be noted that this exception would not apply to, for example, grounds outside of a church within a safe access zone [1] to avoid a situation where protestors use the grounds of a church or other similar location to circumvent the prohibited activities”.
“The aim of this overarching approach is to ensure the effect of the proposed legislation on the rights of those affected is proportional to the objective sought to be achieved”.