Campaigners are welcoming news legislation for safe access zones will be in place by the end of the year.
Yesterday the Health Minister said he hopes to have Cabinet approval soon, with a view to fast-tracking the legislation through the Oireachtas in the autumn.
The new laws would make it illegal for protests to take place within 100 metres of places like abortion clinics and maternity hospitals.
Spokesperson for Together for Safety, Karen Sugrue, says it has been a long time coming.
"We have seen the safe access zone legislation on the legislative schedule for spring an d autumn for the last three successive years, so we were getting a little downhearted.
"There are a few people who have been working on this very, very hard for the past few years who are feeling very uplifted and very hopeful."
