The embrace of abortion exclusion zones in the draft Programme for Government has been described as ‘regressive’.

The zones would criminalise a pro-life presence near facilities offering abortion, including silent prayer and offers to help women contemplating the procedure.

The idea had been explored by Minister for Health, Simon Harris, in the last Government, but he failed to produce concrete measures to implement it.

Eilis Mulroy of the Pro-Life Campaign said it is “a regressive move for Fianna Fáil and the Green Party negotiating teams to have joined Fine Gael in supporting the introduction of censorship zones which amount to such an obvious breach of civil liberties”.

“These exclusion zones which deny peaceful protest and free speech exist in no other part of Europe”.

In addition, she said the Programme’s lack of support for women seeking alternatives to abortion is “profoundly disappointing”.

She said the document ignores women who feel they have no choice about abortion, even as it supports ‘exclusion zones’ that would criminalise offers of help outside clinics offering abortion.