Paying for sex is to be banned in Northern Ireland under legislation similar to that in Sweden, news reports say.

A bill went through the Northern Ireland Assembly in Belfast in a late-night vote on Monday, and although there are still further stages to be passed, the measure is now highly likely to become law.

Kerb-crawling, soliciting, brothel-keeping and pimping are already against the law but paid-for consensual sex is currently legal in Northern Ireland, as it is in other parts of the United Kingdom.

Supporters of the legislation say it will reduce human trafficking while critics say it will only drive the industry further underground.

Research by the Justice Department published last week said sex workers in Northern Ireland overwhelmingly opposed the change.

The survey stated only 2 per cent supported a switch to the Swedish system that targets those who pay for sex rather than those who provide it.

Six out of 10 said penalising those who buy sex would make them less safe.

There were 446 respondents to the survey and also interviews with 19 sex workers and 10 clients.

Sweden, which made buying sex illegal in 1999, has been followed by Norway and Iceland.

Denmark and France are also considering similar laws.