Minister for Health, Simon Harris, is looking to bring in legislation that will stop anti-abortion campaigns showing upsetting material at Hospital Exclusion Zones.
This comes after Rotunda Hospital were forced to warn their patients through Twitter about unsettling images that were being shown outside their hospitals, that may upset women or doctors who were entering the hospital through that entrance.
To anyone entering or leaving the Hospital, a warning that there is an anti-abortion group adjacent to the front entrance, displaying posters that may be distressing. Gardai have been notified. Please be mindful in the area.
— The Rotunda Hospital (@RotundaHospital) June 13, 2018
Following the referendum on the 8th Amendment, there are still quite a few protesters that will gather in spots such as maternity hospitals, in order to instill guilt and shame into women who are carrying an unwanted baby.
Minister Harris has confirmed that he is working on drafting legislation that will deter these groups from having such demonstrations on hospital grounds, intimidating women and doctors.
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Speaking today, Simon Harris explain the need for this new legislation, and how being without it affects women in crisis situations.
"I think it's regrettable that you need to actually have a law in this country to make sure that women attending our maternity hospital, and staff working there, don't have to be subjected to offensive images."
Simon Harris is hoping to have the abortion legislation in by Autumn this year, and by next year have this new legislation that will protect women's rights to avail of legal healthcare without being shunned outside of maternity hospitals by anti-abortion groups.
Harris says he is looking to have the zones in place by next year.
