Safe access zones legal advice
Deputy Costello sought release of legal advice underpinning safe access zones for health services. The Minister said the Government would not share legal advice, but insisted the zones remained a commitment and the issue was workable.
Like many other Deputies, I joined the Together for Yes group outside last week, in a protest demanding safe access zones for essential health services. The Minister for Health was in the Seanad last week and was supportive of safe access zones being implemented. It is a commitment in the programme for Government. Together for Yes has written to seek the release by the Minister for Health of the legal advice that he is basing many of his decisions on. He spoke in the Seanad of extensive legal advice that he has received. Echoing and supporting the call by Together for Yes, will it be possible for the Government to release that legal advice as soon as possible?
Comment on this
I do not think the Government will ever share legal advice.
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Irish ones do not. British ones do.
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They may, but we are not a British Government.
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We have a Constitution and laws that are based on it, with certain protected rights, unlike others that I will not mention.
This is a living issue and an immediate concern for people. There has to be a balance between the right to protest and to people being protected. The Government is committed to delivering the zones. My understanding from the Attorney General's legal advice is that this is not an insurmountable problem. We will be able to square that circle and provide the measures. I will pass the Deputy's question on to the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, to see if he can speak with Deputy Costello directly. We need to resolve it under the Constitution of the Irish Republic.