CALL FOR SAFE ZONES
Council to seek legal opinion on proposed bye-laws
LOUTH County Council may become the first local authority in Ireland to introduce bye-laws establishing ‘safe zones’ outside health facilities providing abortions, if a motion by Cllr Emma Coffey is adopted.
The Fianna Fail councillor tabled a motion at the monthly meeting yesterday (Monday) for bye-laws to prohibit protesting, displaying posters and literature, threatening or stalking health care providers or intimidating people entering health facilities.
Her motion came as it emerged that an American anti-abortion group is training people in Ireland to intercept women before they access abortion services to talk them out of it, and anti-abortion graffiti was sprayed on a GP’s premises in Longford.
Urging her the Council to adopt the bye-laws, Cllr Coffey said she had sought legal opinion.
She noted that there had been protests outside healthcare facilities including Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and the ‘safe zones’ were needed ‘ to ensure any woman trying to access abortion services legally can do so unhindered.’ Women were entitled to being able to enter a health facility without ‘ being door-stepped and without having pictures forced in their faces.’
Fine Gael’s Cllr John McGahon commended Cllr Coffey on her stance, saying that while Health Minister Simon Harris had confirmed that legislation on safe zones will go through the Oireachtas, this motion would give Louth County Council the chance to send out ‘a symbolic gesture.’
It was decided that the Council will seek legal opinion on the proposed bye-laws before brining they are discussed at committee.
AN impassioned plea for Louth County Council to introduce bye-laws to establish safe zones outside health facilities providing abortions was made by Fianna Fail councillor Emma Coffey.
Cllr Coffey said she had sought legal advice in regard to the motion which would exclude ‘any form of prohibited behaviour within a 50 meter area from the outer edge of the the healthcare facility.’
The comprehensive bye-laws which she proposed are aimed at preventing anti-abortion groups from targeting people working in health care facilities where abortion services are provided and from threatening, harassing, intimating and hindering women entering such centres.
They would also prohibit protesting, handing out literature , or putting up posters or pictures at healthcare facilities,
It would be illegal to stalk health care workers or people accessing a healthcare facility and to record or publish information about people accessing such centres.
Cllr Coffey said that they had seen weeks and weeks of protests outside healthcare facilities including Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.
While not wanting to obstruct anyone’s right to protest, she felt they needed to endure that any woman trying to access abortion services legally can do so unhindered.
Appealing to councillors to support her motion, she said that they often talked about the erosion of local powers but this was one area where they had power to enable bye-laws which she believed would be in the common good of the local community.
She noted that people had voted to legalise abortion and it was only a minority who believed that it should not take place.
‘I don’t want a situation where they are protesting outside health facilities whose services which are being provided legally and with the will of the people.’
‘We all go to GPs and hospitals,’ she continued, and as a mother she didn’t want to have to take her daughter past such protests.
Cllr Mairanne Butler said she didn’t support the motion citing fears that the council could be leaving itself open to a legal challenge if it adopted such bye-laws. She felt the matter should be dealt with by the Oireachtas on the advice of the Attorney General.
Cllr Conor Keelan supported the motion saying people had a right to access health care facilities without being shown offensive images.
Fine Gael Cllr John McGa- hon wholeheartedly supported Cllr Coffeey, commending her stance during the abortion referendum. He said that while Health Minister Simon Harris had confirmed that legislation for safe zones will go through the Oireachtas this could take time, and the motion gave Louth County Council the chance to send out a symbolic gesture.
‘It would be a fantastic message to send from Louth County Council telling the people of Ireland what we want and that it’s not in our name to see people outside the Lourdes Hospital and targeting GPs in Dundalk.’
Chief Executive Joan Martin said she would want to be fully satisfied on the legal basis of the motion. ‘I don’t want to have useless bye-laws that we can’t enforce.’
It was agreed that the council would get legal opinion on the proposed bye-laws before bringing them to the Joint Policing Committee and Strategic Policy Committee.
Cllr Anne Campbell urged this be done as quickly as possible.