Safe access to abortion services
Deputy Collins criticised the delay in promised stand-alone legislation to protect access to reproductive healthcare from intimidating pickets. The Taoiseach said the Health Minister remained committed to the Bill and promised to raise the urgency again.
In December 2018, the then Minister for Health pledged to introduce stand-alone legislation in 2019 to allow healthcare workers to go about their work and people to access reproductive health services without intimidation. Those pickets are still taking place. We are receiving emails from women and men who feel they have been stigmatised, shamed and intimidated as they access reproductive healthcare. The legislative programme for this autumn states that the safe access to termination of pregnancy services Bill is to be introduced, but it is only at preparatory stage. I ask the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health to make this an urgent Bill and to bring the heads of the Bill to the Dáil very quickly. It is three years now and that is too long.
