S.I. No. 445/2024 - Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Act 2024 (Commencement) Order 2024

1. This Order may be cited as the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Act 2024 (Commencement) Order 2024.

2. The 17

th

day of October 2024 is appointed as the day on which the

Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Act 2024

(No. 13 of 2024) shall come into operation.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

9 September, 2024.

STEPHEN DONNELLY,

Minister for Health.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(

This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.

)

This Order appoints the 17th of October 2024 as the day on which the Health(Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Act 2024 comes into operation. This Act designates 100m Safe Access Zones around certain healthcare premises where conduct aimed at impeding access or influencing decisions in relation to termination of pregnancy services will be prohibited. The Bill also makes provision for enforcement and the creation of offences in relation to such conduct.

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of

13

th September,

2024.

I, STEPHEN DONNELLY, Minister for Health, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by

section 8

(2) of the

Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Act 2024

(No. 13 of 2024), hereby order as follows