The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has secured confirmation from Minister for health Stephen Donnelly that the proposed Safe Access Zones Legislation will not prohibit industrial action within those zones.

ICTU had previously sought an amendment to the proposed legislation to avoid an unintended consequence which could impede lawful activities by an authorised trade union.

The union said anyone needing a termination of pregnancy should be able to access services in safety and with privacy and dignity, but requested confirmation that the proposed legislation would not prohibit industrial action within safe access zones.

As a result, ICTU has now received confirmation from the minister that the legislation will not prohibit industrial action within safe access zones, and engagement is currently ongoing on the most effective way to address this matter.

Minister Donnelly acknowledged unions’ concerns and agreed to develop proposals that balance a range of rights, including the right to protest, while ensuring the legitimate aim to protect the right of a woman to access termination of pregnancy services with privacy and dignity.

The Fórsa-backed Safe Access Zones Legislation was also being debated at the Oireachtas health committee earlier in the week. At the hearing, Department of Health officials communicated that the proposed legislation would apply to all eligible health facilities and not just those currently providing termination of pregnancy.

Meanwhile, it emerged that gardaí have also raised a number of operational issues with the proposed legislation and asked for more clarity around matters such as curtilage in the demarcation of the zones.

Other revisions to the proposed legislation also saw the definition of ‘public place’ clarified to mean any place to which the public have access, whether as of right or by permission and whether subject to or free of charge. It is expected that private property will also be included in certain circumstances in the legislation, the details of which are currently being ironed out.

Early last year, Fórsa members passed a motion at its national policy-setting conference, calling on the union to support the creation of protest exclusion zones outside of medical facilities for people accessing essential healthcare.