A LIMERICK-based group that has campaigned for legislation to prevent people protesting in the immediate vicinity of medical facilities that provide abortion services says it fears the beginning of Lent will see an upsurge in such protests.
Together for Safety leaders say they have been contacted by people worried that Lent, which started on Wednesday, will bring a repeat of the six weeks of daily protests that took place in previous years in the run-up to Easter.
“For the last few years, Lent has brought daily anti-abortion protests to the front of hospitals, GPs, and family planning clinics all over the country. People are dreading that it will start again next week” said Karen Sugrue, co-chair of Together for Safety.
“We’ve had people contact us telling us about being so distressed on their way in to appointments that they’ve had panic attacks and had to ring a friend and ask them to collect them so that they didn’t have to pass by the protesters again” explained Yvie Murphy, Together for Safety co-chair.
“It’s important to remember that these protests take place outside hospitals, GPs, and family planning clinics where people are going for all sorts of medical reasons and the last thing they need is to be distressed on the way in,” Ms Sugrue added.
“We have also spoken to staff and their unions and what is very clear is that no matter how a person voted in 2018, the vast majority agree that people should be able to get into medical appointments, and go to work, without being intimidated, harassed, or distressed by protesters”, Ms Murphy added.
Together for Safety are this week are calling on Health Minister Stephen Donnelly to bring in legislation to protect patients and workers against the type of daily harassment that happens every year during Lent.
“We voted for Safe Access Zones in 2018, and last year we were promised that it would be the last Lent without Safe Access Zones to protect us. It is desperately disappointing that we are now facing into another year without any of the promised protections,” Ms Murphy said.
“We are calling for urgency from Minister Donnelly, and we are asking everyone to contact their TDs and elected reps and demand that Safe Access Zone legislation be brought in before the summer.”
