Safe Access Zones preventing anti-abortion protests to be introduced

Safe Access Zones will be introduced across five NI Health and Social Care Trusts on September 29.

The 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. "

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

1. Locations for the SAZ protected premises are listed below:

• Southern Trust - Craigavon Area Hospital

• Southern Trust - Daisy Hill Hospital

• Belfast Trust - College Street

• Belfast Trust - Bradbury Wellbeing and Treatment Centre

• Northern Trust - Causeway Hospital

• Western Trust - Altnagelvin Hospital

• South Eastern Trust - Lagan Valley Hospital

• South Eastern Trust - Ulster Hospital