Hospitals are no place for protest, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said, following comments by Archbishop Eamon Martin against banning pro-life gatherings, including prayer, outside hospitals and GP clinics administering abortion.

Archbishop Martin had said that abortion exclusion zones “would be tantamount to enforcing a ban on pro-life activity including prayer and respectful witness” and would further “silence” the voice of unborn children.

The Taoiseach was responding to a question from People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy who described the gatherings, without evidence, as “intimidatory, misogynistic protests”.

Mr Martin said the last thing people going to hospitals need to see “is someone protesting, any agitation or anything to do with that. It just runs counter to what hospitals should be all about.”

Separately, in response to a question from Aontu leader, Peadar Toibin, the Taoiseach said he had a “fair point” in asking, in the interest of balance, if the State has ever made any effort to quantify the positive contribution by the Churches in this State.

During the Covid crisis, when many people were dying on their own and isolated from their families, Deputy Toibin cited the support they got from many religious in this State. “Many religious buried people during the Covid crisis at great threat to themselves. They were the only group the State never thanked for the help provided during Covid”, he said.