2 years ago
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By Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI political correspondent
Image source, Getty Images
A challenge to a bill banning anti-abortion protests outside health settings in Northern Ireland will be heard by the Supreme Court on Tuesday.
In March, a majority of assembly members at Stormont voted for the legislation.
But Northern Ireland's Attorney General Dame Brenda King later intervened, with the bill delayed from becoming law.
The bill would make it an offence to protest against abortion within the zones, directly argue or harass people who may be attending the clinics or to obstruct access to the premises in question.
It was drawn up by Green Party leader Clare Bailey when she was an MLA.
But the attorney general has concerns relating to the omission of what is known as the "reasonable excuse" defence from the legislation.
Under the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which established the current Stormont institutions, there is a process that allows the attorney general to ask the UK Supreme Court to determine whether a provision of a bill is within the legislative competence of the assembly.
Only if the UK's highest court determines the part of the bill in question to be within the assembly's legislative competence will it proceed to become law.
The case is expected to last for two days.
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