New safe access zone legislation comes into effect today to ensure people accessing termination of pregnancy services can do so safely and with dignity.
Those who stage anti-abortion protests within 100 metres of relevant healthcare facilities are now liable for prosecution and could face fines or imprisonment.
Cork-based GP Dr Mary Favier has welcomed the introduction of the legislation.
Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Dr Favier, who is a former president of the Irish College of General Practitioners, said she knows of clinics that have had weekly protests, while she herself has also experienced protests outside her practice.
The National Maternity Hospital has had "small white coffins" placed outside as patients came in and out, she added.
She said the impact of these protests on the women accessing termination services was "very difficult".
"They have to pass through, in my case, a man carrying signs that included accusing people of murder.
"That is a very difficult scenario if you're seeking reproductive health services, including abortion," she said.
"It's also very difficult for any other person who has to look at that. In my case, one of my patients actually came out and tackled that man and said this is not ok, Ireland is not like this anymore, you need to go away.
"But in other situations there've been people lining up outside the practices in the midlands saying the rosary. That's very difficult for staff, it's very difficult for the providers.
"If you think about the National Maternity Hospital, you've got women going in and out of there for so many reasons. You could have women coming out of there who have just suffered a stillbirth.
"You could have couples going in dealing with a fatal fetal anomaly that they know is going to have a bad outcome.
"To see these types of protests is really not appropriate. They need to take place elsewhere."
Dr Favier said about 15% of GPs provide abortion services.
She said they will work closely with gardaí to notify them if any protests take place.
"This is now an embedded service in healthcare. It's part of general practice, it's part of our national maternity services in family planning clinics, which is where it should be.
"It's part of the progress that's being made," Dr Favier said.
