Naomi Long
East Belfast · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“Underneath the Facebook posts to say that he had passed away, people speculated with such comments as, "Probably high on drugs", "Probably drunk", and, "Typical boy racer". There was all of that speculation. It was hurtful to the family, and it was inaccurate.”
“There are circumstances that we need to consider and be careful of. I was told, for example, that, when the issue of good character references at trial was being looked at in New South Wales — Committee members may wish to look at this for themselves — one of the groups that opposed their removal was representative of domestic abuse victi…”
“It sets out the strategic direction adopted by the Department and key partners to tackle those appalling crimes and protect vulnerable victims of exploitation.”
“The provision seeks to provide protection, via legal advice and representation for complainants, against the use of non-relevant personal material and evidence of previous sexual history being used in the court process.”
“<BR /> <BR />On the wider issue of ensuring that a withdrawal of services never happens again, I think that most of us agree that, although everyone has the right to take industrial action, no one has the right to derail and hold to ransom the entire justice system in that way.”
“Those measures will go some way towards helping to support complainants and enable them to have input into the decision-making process about what records containing their personal and sensitive information are required to be shared with the defence.”
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“It is difficult for me to give an opinion on that because I cannot speak for the UK Government. I have, of course, publicly shared my concerns about the approach taken, which will impact across the board not just on confidence in policing but on confidence in the wider justice system. That is of concern to all of us in the House. What the UK Government do is, sadly, outwith my responsibilities and powers, but I stress the importance of considering the impact of those issues on our contemporary justice system and on public confidence in it.”
“I emphasise once again that it is incumbent on us all, as elected representatives, to encourage members of our community to consider joining the PSNI and to help to create the societal conditions where that is most likely to occur. <BR /> <BR />I have been encouraged by the number of applications received and wish those who have applied success with their applications. It can only be a positive for Northern Ireland if we have a Police Service that truly represents the diversity of the community that it serves.”
“The PSNI has published the final number of applications received, with just under 30% of applications from members of the Catholic community. Whilst that is comparable to previous campaigns, I would wish to see figures more reflective of the wider community. It is therefore important that we listen to and learn from the lived experience of those from minority communities who have served and are serving in the PSNI. <BR /> <BR />The reported comments of the chair of the Catholic Police Guild of Northern Ireland indicate that legacy issues continue to influence the decision to apply to the police amongst a range of other considerations.”
“<BR /> <BR />As I bring my remarks to a conclusion, my thoughts this evening are with the Omagh families, who have suffered unimaginable heartbreak and borne the loss of their loved ones, as a result of what was a barbaric and cowardly attack, with the utmost dignity. I hope that, at the end of the process, they will receive the truth and the justice that they deserve, whether as a result of the British Government's inquiries and engagement or as a result of the Irish Government's inquiries and engagement.”
“We will be able to judge fully only when we are sighted of the arrangements that are put in place to give that information to the families and the victims. <BR /> <BR />I am aware that the Irish Government are now actively engaging with the Omagh Bombing inquiry team about finalising the memorandum of understanding that will govern their engagement and information sharing with the inquiry. I hope that that may go some way to providing the confidence that the families need so that, through the inquiry, they will finally be able to achieve the full transparency, truth and justice that they seek and that they truly deserve.”
“It is therefore sensible to fully explore whether a suitable mechanism can exist by which people will be sufficiently reassured that they will get full accountability and full truth from the inquiry that is taking place. <BR /> <BR />At all times, we need to be fully mindful of the impact on the victims, witnesses, first responders and wider society of being re-exposed to and having to recount some of the most traumatic experiences that they have ever endured. Whilst any such inquiry is not within the vires of my Department, and I cannot compel another state to hold their own inquiry or, indeed, fully cooperate with the current inquiry, I, nevertheless, fully understand and have sympathy with the concerns and sensitivities involved, which have been raised in the Chamber today.”
“However, as many have stated in the Chamber today, that commitment will only be fully reliable once it is put into action. Words count for very little in this space when confidence is so low and trust is at a premium. <BR /> <BR />The issue of whether there is a separate inquiry in Ireland is, again, a matter for the Irish Government and not one into which the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland can intrude. However, one issue that was raised by the Irish Justice Minister yesterday, in response to the question, was his concern, which, to some degree, I share, that an entirely separate inquiry could result in putting people through an often-traumatic process of recounting their experiences for a second time.”
“<BR /> <BR />Whilst there has been considerable discussion about the compellability of testimony and evidence from the Irish state, I hope that the Irish Government live up to their commitment to fully cooperate with the inquiry, and that such compulsion should not be required. When we are aware of information that could bring someone else truth and justice, it is a moral obligation that falls on all of us that we disclose that information and cooperate in every way that we can. When raised with my counterpart, the Irish Justice Minister, Jim O'Callaghan, during an engagement that I had with him, just yesterday, I was somewhat reassured by the fact that he reiterated, on behalf of the Irish Government, their commitment to cooperate fully with the Omagh Bombing inquiry that is under way.”
“The unimaginable pain and suffering, as well as the grief, that people have carried as a result of their exposure to such reckless and wanton violence are hard to comprehend. I fervently hope that victims and their families are able to access justice through the process that the Secretary of State has established. <BR /> <BR />I also acknowledge that it is important for all of us in Northern Ireland to have full confidence in the inquiry, that the inquiry is able to access all the relevant data and information and that anyone who has information provides it to the inquiry and be fully cooperative with it.”
“leading up to the Omagh bombing. <BR /> <BR />In 2021, the High Court determined that the state had an obligation to conduct an article 2-compliant investigation into allegations that there was a real prospect of preventing the terrible atrocity. Therefore, it would, obviously, be for the Secretary of State to formally engage with the Irish Government in relation to the Omagh Bombing inquiry, given that it was set up by him, and that it relates to terrorism and international relations, which are reserved and excepted matters respectively. <BR /> <BR />While my Department has no role in the conduct of the inquiry, I, like many of you, have been deeply moved by the witness testimonies that have been given thus far. They have been harrowing and distressing to hear and, no doubt, to recount.”
“The inquiry is charged with considering the adequacy of the measures taken by a number of state authorities, including the RUC:”
“The UK Government have responsibility for determining how to deal with the legacy of the past, which, as we all acknowledged in the debate, is a complex and sensitive issue. It includes engaging with other Governments, including the Irish Government, on any role that they might need to play in the process. I have made my position on their wider approach clear on many occasions, both in my capacity as Justice Minister, where it impacts upon my Department, and as a party leader, more widely. I do not intend to rehearse all those points today. <BR /> <BR />The Omagh Bombing inquiry is:”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Members who tabled the motion on this important and sensitive issue. Initially, the Executive had not intended to provide a ministerial response to the debate, given that the issues engaged in the motion fall entirely outside the devolved space. However, in recognition of the amendment's specific call on me, as Minister of Justice, I felt that it would be discourteous to Members and, most importantly, to the victims of the Omagh bombing not to acknowledge the debate and respond to it insofar as I can, albeit I do so solely in a ministerial capacity and, therefore, may be more restrained in what I say than would otherwise be the case were I participating simply as leader of the Alliance Party.”
“The Member has just acknowledged that an inquiry set up by the UK Government, under the auspices of the Secretary of State, does not have the power to compel. Can he elucidate how he expects me to compel the Irish Government to do anything?”
“A range of substance use-related services are available across Northern Ireland and are listed on the PHA drug and alcohol info website. Please use them. Please get the help that you need, and please keep yourself, your family and your community safe.”
“We can only, therefore, deal with that if we deal with it together. It is important that we do all that we can to ensure that young people who may experiment with drugs — in some cases, under peer pressure — understand that there is an extreme risk associated with taking any drug that is not prescribed. It takes only one episode to cause life-changing or life-ending harm. There is no safe level of drug consumption. If only one message reaches the public as a result of the debate, I hope that it is this: drugs can and do cause harm to individuals, families and communities. To those young people who may or may not hear the debate and to those who may or may not be suffering with their own addiction demons, I say this: do not take that risk with your health and well-being — reach out and seek support.”
“We will succeed in improving outcomes only if we see substance use in that broader context and work collectively to target supplies, educate our young people, raise awareness and prevent the young and the vulnerable from turning to or experimenting with drugs. While a reclassification of ketamine would bring increased penalties and possibly provide an increased deterrent to its use and supply, it is vital that we address broader substance misuse in a holistic way and, primarily, as a medical issue that requires therapeutic interventions, rather than focusing only on criminal justice outcomes. <BR /> <BR />Substance use has a tragic impact across Northern Ireland, according to those most recent figures. As I say, 169 people lost their life in 2023 as a result of drugs misuse, but the impact and the ripples in our community go much wider.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is worth remembering that ketamine, a derivative of PCP, replaced PCP as an anaesthetic because it was judged to be safer than its antecedent. It is a reminder that it is the misuse of that drug that is the problem. It is interesting that the Member for Foyle raised the issue of pregabalin, which was the specific drug mentioned in 67 of the 169 deaths registered in 2023. The rise of pregabalin, which is a completely legitimate pain-killing drug but which is being used without supervision, is taking people's lives, and it is often part of polydrug use, which is an increasing problem. <BR /> <BR />We must therefore be mindful that there are no easy solutions and that the issues around drugs cut across the whole Executive — Health, Communities, Education and Justice.”
“Indeed, when we met an Garda Síochána and the Irish Justice Minister yesterday, the cross-border smuggling and supply of drugs was part of the agenda, which was really important. The joint agency task force is also actively engaged in that area. <BR /> <BR />The harms caused by substance use extend widely to families and communities that are often left facing bereavement, despair and fear. This debate is particularly relevant following the publication of the annual Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) report on drug-related and drug-misuse deaths in Northern Ireland in 2023, which further highlights the devastating impact that drugs have on our communities. It also shows the growing issue of polydrug use, including mixing illegal and prescription drugs and alcohol.”
“Members may be aware that the UK Government are bringing forward measures in the new Crime and Policing Bill that will update the legislation on spiking. My Department has engaged with stakeholders on the issue. Subject to the Executive and Assembly's approval, it is my intention to extend that new offence to Northern Ireland via the legislative consent process. <BR /> <BR />Let me assure you that there is considerable local cross-governmental work on these issues. The organised crime task force drug subgroup provides a forum for engagement between the PSNI and other stakeholders in response to the challenges posed by the misuse of drugs and related threats and to identify solutions to effectively deal with enforcement related to the supply of drugs.”
“That is whether they take it through one-off experimentation or are addicted to it via long-term use. We confirmed that those concerns are echoed by colleagues across the Assembly. In the letter, we asked that consideration be given to putting arrangements in place to allow affected families and relevant stakeholders from Northern Ireland to inform the independent review. <BR /> <BR />Whilst my remit as Minister of Justice is limited on the issue, I will, of course, do all that I can to address the harms caused by drugs and to support other Ministers who lead more directly on it. For example, I know that ketamine is one of the most detected drugs in spiking, due to its dissociative impact and the fact that it can cause paralysis and amnesia.”
“Recently, the Health Minister and I attended a quadrilateral meeting with Ministers from all other regions of the UK on drug-related issues. During that meeting, there was a discussion on the reclassification of ketamine, and we are likely to discuss that again at future UK ministerial meetings. It is clear that addressing the harms associated with ketamine is a priority across the UK. Subsequently, the Minister of Health and I wrote jointly to the Minister of State for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention in the Home Office to convey our concerns about the harms that ketamine can cause, especially the associated serious health problems, such as irreversible damage to the bladder and kidneys, and the serious mental health problems that can be protracted after people take the drug.”
“The Minister of Health and I are entirely supportive of the planned review. While we respect the fact that the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs will be required to follow due process before a decision can be made, it is important that we also have a voice in the way forward.”
“The strategy focuses on ensuring that people in Northern Ireland are supported in the prevention and reduction of harm and stigma related to the use of alcohol and other drugs, have access to high-quality treatment and support services and will be empowered to maintain their recovery. <BR /> <BR />Members will also be aware that the classification of drugs is a reserved matter, so any decision will ultimately rest with the UK Government. Leading the Executive's representations on the classification or reclassification of drugs, particularly on the health implications of any drug, would fall primarily to the Department of Health. I am sure that I speak for most Members, however, when I welcome the announcement from the Home Office on 8 January this year that it is seeking expert advice on reclassifying ketamine as a class A substance.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Department is also there to take actions aimed at reducing drug-related harm and offending in Northern Ireland. That drug-related harm is done not just to those who ingest the substances but to communities, which are often bullied and intimidated by those who peddle drugs, and to people who are tortured as a result of those who seek drugs in desperation. The issue is multilayered and requires us all to work together. <BR /> <BR />Colleagues will be aware that the Department of Health leads on the Northern Ireland Executive substance use strategy, 'Preventing Harm, Empowering Recovery'.”
“People assume that drug deaths come about as a result of extremes: extreme addiction or long-term misuse. In truth, a single dose of any of those medications can take a life, and young people need to be better educated to know that that is the case. <BR /> <BR />We have to be mindful that this is an issue, as many Members have said, that cuts across other Departments as well as the Department of Justice. My role as Minister of Justice is understandably focused on the criminal justice response. That includes enforcement of the law as it stands, and I take cognisance of the contributions from those who have questioned whether the law as it stands is right. At another time and in another way, we can have that conversation, because it is a conversation that needs to be had.”
“Tackling drugs and the harms that they cause is clearly a shared priority for all of us. I also pay tribute to and commend the bravery and relentless efforts of Sandra Larmour for raising awareness of the dangers posed by drugs, following the tragic and untimely death of her daughter, Jeni. It is vital that we listen to the people impacted on directly by substance use and that we learn from the harrowing experiences of people such as Jeni and Sandra. <BR /> <BR />I recall Sandra giving an interview in the aftermath of Jeni's death and how impactful it was. I can still remember everything that she said about Jeni's experience. What young person has not experimented in some way when at university or has not done things that they might not otherwise have done? Few of them, however, would have expected that it could lead to their death.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. At the outset, I acknowledge the overwhelming impact that drugs can have across our society. When I say "drugs", I am not talking about illegal, illicit or prescription drugs, because all drugs can be dangerous if not taken under medical supervision. We need to be really clear about that, because we sometimes try to say that one drug is more dangerous than another. If people are taking a drug that is not being monitored and was not prescribed for them, it is a dangerous substance that they should not be taking. It is important that we recognise that and encourage people who are suffering from addiction or dependency to seek urgently the help that they need. <BR /> <BR />All too often, lives are blighted by the devastating consequences of taking drugs.”
“However, this is an important first step in stabilising immigration practice. We will then need to look at some of the other consultations that we are doing on increasing retention in that space and looking at how we can provide additional mechanisms for people to get the support that they need, whether that is through legal aid or otherwise. We are engaging robustly on that at the moment, and I am hopeful, still, that we will be able to get a resolution to that well ahead of the May deadline.”
“The outcome of that was the suggestion that we consider an uplift of around 30% to the fees paid to immigration solicitors. The engagement that we have had on the work that those immigration solicitors are doing has been very positive. They have set out three proposals for resolution and we are responding to those with our own analysis and calculations. It is the Department's intention to get agreement on a way forward before the end of this month and ahead of the drafting of the secondary legislation, which we hope to bring to the Chamber in May 2025. That will allow the solicitors, at the earliest opportunity, to benefit from the uplift to which they are entitled. That is my intention. <BR /> <BR />The proposed fees will not address all the issues. There are some issues that relate to supply in this area.”
“The issue with immigration solicitors withdrawing their services is one that, obviously, causes us some concern. It ties in with the increasing complexity of immigration and asylum cases. As the Member will know, the landscape around immigration and asylum under the previous Government and the current Government has been constantly evolving, and the work that immigration solicitors have to do to prepare work for their clients and to be able to prepare representation for them has become much more involved, complex and time-consuming over that period. <BR /> <BR />We had looked at an uplift of 16% for legal aid work across the professions. However, we were aware that a discrete piece of work was carried out in England and Wales that looked at immigration because practitioners there were particularly under pressure.”
“Fundamentally, however, as I said in my statement, I do not believe that Judge Burgess would continue to work with me and the Department if he felt that we were not respecting the spirit and integrity of the review or were ignoring his recommendations, which were based on his engagement with the Criminal Bar Association, the Law Society and the Bar Council.”
“The issue that Judge Burgess raised was that he does not now have available to him the kind of evidence that he would need to support the uplift that would be required for the more complex cases. He acknowledged that that would be needed, and the working group is taking that forward. Otherwise, the review's recommendations have been accepted; some with the caveat that we will have to await the evidence and some with the caveat that we will need to take some time to work through the logistics. There is nothing, however, that we have rejected. <BR /> <BR />Indeed, when I met him, Judge Burgess indicated that by backdating the uplift to December, I have gone further than he recommended or anticipated, and he welcomed that.”
“As a result, the complexity of cases, which other Members have referred to, can no longer, in general, be measured in the same way. Of course, there are exceptions for things such as reading excess amounts of discovery. The idea behind that was to simplify the system for practitioners as well as for the Legal Services Agency and to ensure that, swings and roundabouts, people would, overall, be paid appropriately.”
“Judge Burgess anticipated the working group when he produced the Burgess review, as it has become known. I will explain the history to Members. There used to be a direct time-and-line equation through which you could work out the length of time that people spent on things and how much they were paid. That practice was broken from in favour of the simplification of payment so that people would not have to account for every minute of every day in the way in which they previously had to. Instead, they would be paid a certain set amount for particular kinds of work.”
“In fact, if he reads the statement, which he summarised poorly, he would see that I paid tribute to the criminal Bar and other professionals for getting involved in the working group and that I very much welcomed the opportunity to engage with them further.”
“It is entirely appropriate that, whilst maintaining contact with the Bar and trying to resolve the outstanding issues, I come to the House and keep Members informed, because let us be honest about this: the Bar is quite happy to keep Members informed, so it is important that they also hear what the Department has been doing so that they are aware of the work that my officials and I have invested as we seek to resolve the issue. <BR /> <BR />Making the statement and setting out what we have tried to achieve in the Department in, I would argue, much greater detail than Mr O'Toole suggested, does not preclude me from continuing to engage with the Bar.”
“The Member clearly did not hear my answer to his colleague Mr McNulty, who asked basically the same question, word for word, before lunchtime. <BR /> <BR />First, as I said, I am not at war with the criminal Bar; I am in negotiation and discussion with it about how we take things forward. There is no sense that the statement is about warfare, nor is it about me negotiating with the Bar, which is a separate issue. I am engaging with the Bar. The statement is about me informing MLAs about the work that we have conducted in the Department and the changes that we have made to the programme as presented to the House in December. It is also about updating MLAs on the progress that has been made against the targets that I set out at that time.”
“We need to work closely with them to ensure that, where we can be of assistance either through legal aid or the Department of Finance, we are able to offer them that support in the work that they are trying to do.”
“The fear for many is that, if they complain to the Bar Council or the Law Society, they will struggle to get their case taken seriously, because other solicitors and barristers make the judgement on whether the behaviour was appropriate. They may also fear that making a complaint might blot their copybook with future solicitors and barristers if they were then to look for alternative legal advice. Whilst that is a perception rather than a proven reality, it is a barrier to people's feeling confident about coming forward. There is, of course, the legal service's ombudsman's office to which people can go, but, again, we need to work with those in the profession who are already very engaged in trying to improve professionalism and the standards throughout it.”
“I am keen to explore how governance structures for legal aid can be used in combination with the Law Society and the Bar Council as regulators and with the work of the Department of Finance and the Legal Services Oversight Commissioner to ensure that people are empowered to demand the quality of service to which they are entitled, particularly when it involves the expenditure of public money. <BR /> <BR />Certainly, I do not want to step into areas that regulatory bodies or the Minister of Finance already occupy, but it is about saying that, where we fund services for people through the Department of Justice and legal aid, we want to take responsibility for ensuring the quality of those services and that there is meaningful recourse for people when they do not feel well served.”
“<BR /> <BR />While the vast majority of stakeholders report feeling that the services that they have received were helpful and necessary and have been provided with care, those who feel that they have not been in receipt of such services will often also complain that they feel unable to make an effective complaint about their representative, if they feel that they need to, or that they are unaware of who to turn to when they feel that they have not been well served.”
“As I mentioned earlier, in the main, the public gets a quality service from the legal profession here in Northern Ireland. We have very high standards for our legal professionals, and they do very good work. That is welcome. However, there will always be a minority who are unhappy with how the legal profession has treated them or with the outcome of the advice that they received.”
“However, I will be very candid: for some witnesses in some of those cases, the clock, because of their health, is literally ticking on their ability to give evidence in court, and I am really concerned that, unless the derogation is implemented swiftly, some of those cases may never reach court.”
“They have had to redirect resources to that space to try to support and encourage victims, many of whom may have been reluctant in the beginning to take cases because of the intimate nature of the violence that they may have to speak about and who are considering withdrawing cooperation from the PPS, with all the consequences that not prosecuting such cases in court has not only for them but for us as a society. <BR /> <BR />Work is going on to try to support those victims and witnesses in order to ensure that we can manage and reduce the level of attrition that might otherwise be expected.”
“For health, medical and a whole host of other reasons, they may find themselves becoming increasingly vulnerable during trial. It can be due to age, health impairments or serious illness. In all those cases, people are incredibly vulnerable, and, often, the longer that they have to wait, the more difficult that it will be for them to be able to make their case. <BR /> <BR />The Member asked about the additional support that the Department can offer. As he knows, we fund Victim Support for the work that it does, and it has been leaning in very heavily to support victims who are waiting for a long time. I spoke earlier of the work that prosecutors and the victims and witness care unit in the Public Prosecution Service have been doing.”
“As the Member will appreciate, we are talking about category A cases, so those will be serious sexual offence cases, rape and murder. Those are some of the most complex cases, and some very vulnerable witnesses will be engaged in that process and will be experiencing trauma. They also tend to be cases that are much slower to bring to court because of the rigour of having to find all the evidence and meet the requirements. So, victims will often await trial for quite a lengthy period. <BR /> <BR />It will also include category D multi-defendant trials, which include some complex fraud, paramilitary or terrorism cases. Again, that has a particular knock-on effect on the stress of victims and witnesses. <BR /> <BR />There will also be some victims who are, in multiple ways, vulnerable.”
“To be clear, I said earlier that we intended to uplift the immigration practitioners by more than 16%, and I will put a figure on that: 30% was the recommended uplift for immigration practitioners, not 10%. I do not know where that figure came from, but it is 30% for immigration practitioners. That is based on the outworkings of a review done in England and Wales earlier this year.”
“We will be able to do both those things, which is another reason why I think that the CBA is missing the fact that we have made great progress. <BR /> <BR />One of the complaints has been the length of time that it takes to get paid. We are introducing interim payments, which means that barristers will see the results of the 16% uplift much more quickly than they might have done. We are also shortening the time frame within which we will be able to pay bills in-year, which, again, is good news for everybody in the profession. Thirdly, we are able to provide for the uplift of 16% across the board. <BR /> <BR />If I may, I will take the opportunity to mention the uplift for immigration practitioners, which your colleague Ms Ferguson had asked about.”
“We have. For the first time since devolution, we have baselined an amount for legal aid that is equivalent to the predicted expenditure on legal aid. As Members will appreciate, around two thirds to three quarters of legal aid funding is normally baselined, and we then have to wait for monitoring rounds in the hope of getting the remainder of the money into the Department. That has knock-on effects right across the system. This year, we have managed to ring-fence the amount that we expect to spend in legal aid. Therefore, we have the resources required to be able to implement the uplifts and expenditure that we have, while not detracting from our ability to bring down the length of time that payments will take.”