Safe access zones at health service locations to be introduced from Friday

The move follows the passing of a private member's Bill brought by former Green Party leader Clare Bailey before the Stormont Assembly effectively collapsed last year.

The Department of Health said the zones will be introduced across all five health and social trust areas.

Under the law, harassing, obstructing or interfering with someone attending an abortion clinic will be a criminal offence.

A statement said: "Safe access zones are being established under NI Assembly legislation to protect women and girls accessing abortion services, information, advice and counselling, and protect staff working at these locations.

"It will be illegal for them to be impeded, recorded, influenced or to be caused harassment, alarm or distress within the zones.

"Under the legislation, safe access zones can be established in the vicinity of health care premises providing lawful abortions, as well as at premises where information, advice or counselling about abortion services are provided.

"The zones will include the protected premises where these services are provided, as well as adjoining public space, between 100m-250m from entrances or exits of the protected premises."

Information on the location of each zone will be displayed at all protected premises and published on the Department of Health and HSC Trust websites from Friday.

Public signage will highlight the legal requirements at each zone.

The zones will only apply to the strictly designated public space areas and do not apply to private properties.

In the Southern Trust, zones will be at Craigavon Area Hospital and Daisy Hill Hospital.

In the Belfast Trust, they will be at College Street and at Bradbury Wellbeing and Treatment Centre.

The Northern Trust zone will be at Causeway Hospital and with the Western Trust zone Altnagelvin.

The South Eastern Trust will have zones at Lagan Valley and Ulster hospitals.