Health Minister Simon Harris says yesterday's protest outside the National Maternity Hospital was "sickening" and "anti-democratic".
Around 100 anti-abortion demonstrators gathered on Holles Street in Dublin yesterday.
The protest took place on January 1st - the day which marked one year since termination services were made available in this country.
It's led to fresh calls for exclusion zones around hospitals and doctors' surgeries where termination services are provided.
“How dare you”. Minister @SimonHarrisTD says yesterday’s protest outside Holles St was “anti-democratic, sickening and wrong” and did a disservice to the many people who voted No.
— Shane Beatty (@ShaneBeattyNews) January 2, 2020
Speaking about the protest, Minister Harris said: "If you want to protest against Government policy, off you go - turn up at the Dáil, turn up at the Department.
"How dare you turn up at a national maternity hospital and try to intimidate women."
He added: "We've heard from women who miscarried, who were asked on the street 'are you going to murder your child?' It was anti-democratic, it was sickening, and it was wrong."
The Health Minister said he'll soon meet with opposition to discuss legislation for 'safe access zones' for women - although acknowledged the process is 'not straightforward'.
