South Belfast MLA Paula Bradshaw has welcomed clarity that abortion services may now proceed in Northern Ireland on Health and Social Care premises.

Speaking in a personal capacity as abortion is a conscience issue for Alliance, Ms Bradshaw stated: “The fact is that abortion was legalised in Northern Ireland at the beginning of the month, and the requirement to enable it to proceed is only made more urgent by the current coronavirus crisis making travel to England effectively impossible.

“While I recognise the sensitivities around this issue and I respect the wide range of views held on it, further legal clarity should not have been necessary as the legislation was already clear. Nevertheless, it is welcome that we now have it, and that women in crisis pregnancies now know that services will be provided.

“It remains the case that we need to complete the work to ensure women facing crisis pregnancies have access to adequate information and advice. I have no doubt that campaigners who have struggled for so long to achieve this step will wish now to ensure that full support is available.”