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.”
The complete record
Every one of 7,548 lines we hold for Naomi Long, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 54 of 151.
“I apologise, Mr Speaker. I did not hear the Member's question. I was coughing at the time.”
“Future investments in Enniskillen courthouse will form part of that process.”
“Enniskillen courthouse is currently designated as a hearing centre and is opened for three days per week, primarily for the delivery of Magistrates' Court business. In recent years, investments in the building have included internal and external redecoration works and an upgrade to the custody suite ventilation system. <BR /> <BR />The publication of its estate strategy in December 2023 was an important milestone for the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service (NICTS) as it provides a long-term framework for investment over the next decade and beyond. To implement the strategy, NICTS will continue to use data and evidence to baseline the existing estate against the agreed strategic outcomes and to develop prioritised investment in delivery plans in the context of the finite resources available.”
“Therefore, it is important that we hold to that objective, look at each prisoner individually and ensure that other prisoners do not pose a risk to them and, crucially, that they are not a risk to other prisoners in how they are housed.”
“<BR /> <BR />We ensure that every prisoner, irrespective of how they identify, their gender identity, their sexual orientation, their race, their religion, their colour or their creed, is treated with dignity and that any risk that they pose to the remainder of the prison population is properly handled on the basis of a proper risk assessment and an evidence base. That is how it should be done. It is how it is done for every prisoner. Let us be clear: prisons are, by their very nature, places where dangerous people are held. If we did not do those risk assessments based on the needs and individual risks posed by prisoners, we would have far more serious incidents in our prisons than we do at the moment.”
“I thank the Member for acknowledging that this is a sensitive issue, because it is the first time that it has been acknowledged in the course of the questioning. Instead of trying to divide people, to other people and to further diminish and marginalise people, it is our job in the Prison Service to treat every person who arrives in our care with dignity and respect and to ensure their and every other prisoner's safety. Managing risk is what the Prison Service does, and I commend our prison officers for the excellent work that they have undertaken in that regard not just now, when it is in the headlines, but long before it appeared in the headlines and became part of the ludicrous culture war that some people are indulging in today.”
“I am not sure what the Member understands by the word "squandering", but it does not seem to match what he is actually talking about. <BR /> <BR />It is not my job as Justice Minister to comment on headlines in newspapers. It is my job to ensure that the Justice Department does all in its power to ensure that, irrespective of how anyone identifies, when they come into contact with the justice system, whether they be a defendant, a victim or a witness or whether, ultimately, they be committed to the prison system, their safety is paramount and their dignity is secure.”
“I am disappointed by the tone that the Member has adopted with regard to the issue. Referring to trans people as adopting a predator's charter is scurrilous. Many of those who are trans in our system are among the most vulnerable people in the prison system and, far from being predators, are predated upon. It is important to say that what I champion as Minister of Justice is justice, fairness, equality and dignity, and, when it comes to prisons, I champion the safety of every prisoner, whether that person identifies as female, whether they were natal female, whether they were born as a man or whether they identify as a man. It is their safety and not any ideology, whether that be trans ideology or anti-trans ideology, that will drive the protective work that we do in the prison system.”
“To that end, Hydebank Wood College and Women’s Prison is already a mixed-gender site where the risks of holding males and females in separate accommodation are managed daily. I am satisfied that the Prison Service remains committed to ensuring that people in prison are held safely and securely at all times and are treated with dignity and respect.”
“<BR /> <BR />When an individual who identifies as transgender is committed to custody by the courts, the Prison Service will consider their specific needs and risks on a case-by-case basis and take a person-centred and risk-based approach to decisions around accommodation and care informed by advice from colleagues in the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, which is responsible for the delivery of healthcare services to people in prison. It would be dangerous to give a commitment that a male prisoner will never be housed in a female prison or vice versa, as there may be unique risks and issues that lead to such a situation. The risks presented by each case will be assessed on their merits.”
“<BR /> <BR />As per the wishes of previous Ministers of Justice, the Northern Ireland Prison Service had a long-standing, albeit unwritten, position of dealing with transgender prisoners on a case-by-case basis. However, following the deaths of two transgender prisoners in English prisons and issues in Scottish prisons, a decision was taken to put in place a formal process. An instruction to governors with guidance on the care and management of transgender prisoners was subsequently issued in August 2022. That followed a review of the current arrangements and was developed after consultation with the Equality Commission and the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust.”
“With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will answer questions 3 and 12 together. <BR /> <BR />I believe that both questions have been prompted by erroneous reporting of a recent court case and wish to clarify the position. An application for leave to issue a writ of habeas corpus was lodged, alleging that an applicant's detention at the instruction of the court in a male prison was unlawful. The application was dismissed by the court with no order as to costs. The judge made no order in respect of Prison Service policy or transfer to Hydebank Wood College. During the hearing, the judge was advised of the process that was ongoing to confirm the most suitable location for the applicant and was satisfied that the process should be allowed to conclude.”
“We do not outsource responsibility for housing prisoners on behalf of the Prison Service. People are committed to prison on remand or on the basis of full-time committal, and they are housed in the Prison Service estate. There are, of course, pressures in the prison estate, but I can say that, currently, accommodation is still available for anybody who is referred to it.”
“If the Member is unclear on the tripartite arrangements that pertain to the oversight of policing and justice, I am more than happy to meet her to explain them. In the interim, however, I will not enter into anything that would cut across the responsibilities of the Policing Board or those of the Chief Constable. My duty as Justice Minister is to ensure that both are adequately funded to undertake the role that they have to do: it is their job to decide where they allocate the resources, not mine.”
“The management of the PSNI estate, including custody suites, is an operational matter for the Chief Constable, who is accountable to the Northern Ireland Policing Board. As I am committed to respecting the operational independence of the Chief Constable and the role of the board, I suggest that you direct your question to the Chief Constable or the Policing Board directly.”
“That issue is raised with me perennially. I have said before to the Member, who often raises it, that the solution will come from outside in, not from inside out. The threat that is posed by those who are granted access to the separated regime by the Secretary of State is managed carefully in the prison. Increasingly, those who are held in the separated regime are subject to the same regime as the remaining prisoners, so there is, in many ways, a somewhat narrow distinction between them and those in the rest of the prison. I have raised it with every Secretary of State, not least because of the additional cost burden that we, as a Department, have to carry. If the NIO continues to allocate people to the separated regime, it should also pick up the tab.”
“I thank my colleague for the question. The new legislation is intended to demonstrate the important commitment of law enforcement to specifically tackle serious organised crime by ensuring that it has additional legislative tools available. It is also intended to send a strong message that no individuals are deemed to be untouchable for their criminality and to ensure that there is scope for sentences to more accurately reflect not just the nature and seriousness of the crime but the level of their engagement in the commissioning of such criminal activity.”
“The particular recommendation from the Independent Reporting Commission to which the Member refers is a matter for the UK and Irish Governments, not the Department of Justice. As far as I am concerned, anyone who is engaged in criminal activity should cease that activity now and needs no further assistance to do so. Those groups should disband. It is unclear to me what any process of transition or interlocution would achieve. However, how the Irish and British Governments proceed with the appointment of any interlocutor is for them to decide. I agree with the Member, however, and I urge caution on any actions that could undermine the work of the Executive programme on paramilitarism and organised crime or lend any legitimacy to the organisations that are still in existence.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Independent Reporting Commission previously recommended that Northern Ireland should have specific organised crime legislation like that used in other jurisdictions. I intend to create two new offences in the new Justice Bill that is before the Assembly: one of participating in the criminal activities of an organised crime group and another of directing the criminal activities of an organised crime group. The draft clauses have been shared with the Justice Committee and will be formally added to the Bill at amendment stage. I look forward to the publication of the Independent Reporting Commission's seventh report in the coming months.”
“My officials and I have regular discussions with our colleagues in the UK and Irish Governments on matters relating to ending the harm caused by paramilitarism. The Independent Reporting Commission has an important role in reporting on progress towards that objective, and I welcome its positive feedback on the work of the Executive programme on paramilitarism and organised crime, for which I am the lead Minister. I welcome, too, the progress that is being made against the new recommendations that were made in the Independent Reporting Commission's most recent report, which was published last December, particularly the inclusion of a continued Executive-wide commitment to tackling paramilitarism in the draft Programme for Government.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. The Member has just asserted that I designated as a unionist. That is factually incorrect. I have never designated as a unionist in the House. For clarity, a few members of my party designated as unionist for 24 hours: I never have.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I know that Mr Buckley is, perhaps, not as long in the tooth as I am — he is grateful for that, I am sure — but I just remind him that we designated as unionist, not as nationalist.”
“I respect the fact that, for the Member, it is the fundamental basis on which her politics are built. It may be so for a majority in the House, but can she equally respect the fact that those of us who do not take a position on the constitutional question are not just undecided but have made a conscious choice not to do so? Can she respect us in the way that we respect her?”
“The Member said that it ensures fairness. Will she explain how it is fair to those of us who do not designate as "Unionist" or "Nationalist"? She said that it ensures stability. Will she explain how the veto mechanism has ever ensured the stability of this place, given that it has been closed down almost as often as it has been functional?”
“I will walk through a Lobby tonight on the basis of what I believe and stand for. You are no more the DUP's little helper than I am anybody else's little helper. The Member would do well to extend to other people the courtesy that he would expect to be extended to him. I find it outrageous that I have been accused of being a nationalist or a republican tonight, just as I would find it outrageous to be accused of being a unionist or a loyalist.”
“It is correct, of course, that Members are entitled to hold their own opinions, but are they entitled to state on the record things that are counterfactual?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. There are many votes in the House where my vote counts for less than his vote and, indeed, those of other Members of the House. You are right: of course we are up in arms. Treating every Member of the House equally is the very definition of democracy.”
“Will she remind me how many times in her 10X Economy strategy she mentioned the potential of dual market access as something that Northern Ireland could leverage in order to grow our economy?”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Is it in order, when the Chair has ruled on a matter — the Speaker has ruled that a legitimate vote will take place this evening — for a Member to continue to challenge the ruling of the Chair in this way?”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. A number of Members have called this vote some kind of a "fix", and now, the legitimacy of the vote is being referred to. Can you confirm to the House that this vote is entirely legitimate and is in order in how it is about to proceed?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. We all had to engage with Boris Johnson when he was Prime Minister. That was the inevitable consequence of his position. However, we did not all champion him when he was running for prime ministership. We did not all invite him to our party conferences and cosy up to him. Some responsibility in all of this needs to be taken for the choices that the DUP made.”
“<BR /> <BR />There will, I am sure, be Members who, in this debate, will talk of the democratic deficit — again, Mr Buckley spoke of it — that was created by Brexit, yet they refuse to address the democratic deficit right here in the Chamber, week in, week out, every time that we vote by parallel consent. I encourage them, when the debate concludes and as we look to work to address our future together, to address that deficit, which it is in their gift to do, with the same vigour as they have addressed this one.”
“Cross-community votes in this House are the least cross-community of any vote in the Assembly, excluding as they do the votes of those who are in a cross-community party and who make up almost 20% of the membership of the House. As a genuinely cross-community party, we are committed to genuine cross-community voting, not by majoritarianism but by using weighted majority voting, which is a much better system. Excluding the third-largest party in the Chamber, and a party in government, from so-called cross-community votes is an affront to democracy.”
“The DUP cannot now demand that there must be cross-community support for how we leave the EU but not on whether we leave the EU. The Windsor framework and the protocol were agreed by the UK and EU as part of an international agreement. Just like votes at 16, those are reserved matters; ones that will be decided not on the Floor of this Chamber but in Westminster. It was approved by Parliament, which is sovereign, so it is not an issue for us. Trade is not a devolved issue. Handing any single party, in any devolved institution in these islands, a de facto veto over national government policy is not a credible proposition, and the DUP, at its core, knows that that is the case. If I give them credit for anything, it is that they are skilled parliamentarians and understand the primacy of Parliament in these matters.”
“I also wonder whether some who are opposing this genuinely believe that it would be a good idea for the House to reject the motion or whether they will be quietly relieved if the motion passes despite their opposition. <BR /> <BR />It would be remiss of me, in that context, not to note that, if and when the House divides today, for once, on an issue of this seriousness and magnitude, my vote and those of my colleagues will count for just as much as every other Member of the House and will be able to genuinely influence the outcome. <BR /> <BR />To be clear on a matter that was raised — I asked Mr Buckley to give way to allow me to clarify, but he did not wish to do so — there was no cross-community consent for Brexit in the first place.”
“I also wonder whether some who are opposing —”
“It is because it is the better option when faced with a choice between hard and soft borders, between friction and facilitation and between stability and chaos. I also question whether some of the Members choosing to vote against the motion today have properly considered the potential consequences were their will to be carried out. It will be interesting to hear whether any credible, workable alternatives that could be delivered in the next two years will be advanced today by Members who are opposing the motion. There has certainly been none in the past eight years, nor was a single one offered in all the verbosity of Mr Buckley's speech. The abject lack of seriousness in his contribution and his recourse, at times, to personal insults underpins a lack of seriousness that has defined the DUP's approach to Brexit, from start to finish.”
“Softer and more flexible alternative versions of Brexit existed, and, indeed, Alliance pressed for them to be properly considered. However, they were roundly dismissed by largely the same people who railed against the protocol and will vote against this motion on the Windsor framework today. Ironically, the DUP claimed earlier this year that the sea border had been removed and hailed the current arrangements under the Windsor framework as a success, following the publication of the 'Safeguarding the Union' paper. What has changed since then? <BR /> <BR />To be clear, Alliance's support for the framework and this motion is not because it is perfect or seamless. It is not because it is what we have always wanted.”
“We welcomed the extension of that veterinary medicines grace period, but we have warned that a long-term solution now needs to be urgently found, as part of those UK-EU talks. We also called for a derogation on regulations relating to dental amalgam, which was subsequently granted by the EU. If you engage constructively, progress can be made, but you have to go with practical solutions.”
“We were the first political party to call for grace periods to defer the application of aspects of the protocol in order to give time for businesses to continue to prepare, for supply chains to readjust and, most crucially, for mitigations and derogations to be agreed. We pushed for Northern Ireland political representation on UK-EU decision-making bodies and tabled amendments to that effect in Parliament. We championed flexibilities on the regulation and supply of medicines into Northern Ireland and welcomed creative solutions that have now been provided by the Commission. Alliance led a campaign on the creation of a comprehensive UK-EU veterinary agreement as the most comprehensive means to minimise the nature and level of sanitary and phytosanitary checks across the Irish Sea and secure the supply of veterinary medicines.”
“I have set out in my speech some of the mechanisms that, I believe, will assist us in doing so. However, it is worth remembering at this early stage in the debate that there are many who are not unionists who also have significant residual concerns regarding the ongoing impact of Brexit, a Brexit that we did not champion or choose. Yet, we will vote for the motion today. If we are to move forward constructively, we need to acknowledge that the Windsor framework is an imperfect attempt to manage a hugely divisive and widely impactful situation. <BR /> <BR />We in Alliance have also done significant heavy lifting in championing change to the protocol and agreeing that change, and we will continue to so.”
“We are dedicated to exploiting every opportunity presented by dual market access to help local businesses grow and thrive. The majority of people and businesses in Northern Ireland do not want further chaos and instability; they want to see progress and pragmatic solutions. That is what Alliance has always offered and will always offer, and it is why we will support the motion. <BR /> <BR />In the run-up to the debate, there has been a lot of media focus on unionist concerns regarding the Windsor framework; indeed, Mr Buckley raised it again today in the debate. He claimed falsely that Alliance and others had no interest in those concerns. I want to put it on record that we have always acknowledged that there are genuine concerns and that we wish to see those addressed insofar as they can be.”
“In the spirit of maximising our potential and solving common problems, the UK Government and the EU must urgently step up their efforts to reset relations. <BR /> <BR />I hope that that will also mark a reset in relationships between the British and Irish Governments, which have been placed under significant strain during Brexit and unhelpfully so. As neighbours and allies, all our futures are bound together, and, if we are serious about economic growth, political stability, peace and security, the engagement must become more constructive and positive than has been the case over recent years. <BR /> <BR />We as a party remain committed to doing all that we can to reduce the level and impact of checks in the Irish Sea through closer alignment and reduced divergence and to simplify any remaining processes and checks.”
“I genuinely think that the Member has spoken for long enough, but I am more than happy to give way to other Members. I want to make some progress. <BR /> <BR />If we are going to be serious about doing this, we have to look for and exploit the opportunities as they arise. The commitment of the new UK Government to a reset of relations with the EU offers Northern Ireland a real opportunity to assert ourselves more robustly, positively and constructively; to place ourselves at the centre of that process; and to ensure that not just our needs but our ambitions are at the heart of those discussions. With a common commitment to delivery from the Executive and local parties and leveraging the power of dual market access, we can unleash opportunities that lie in the Windsor framework arrangements to grow our economy.”
“Mr Buckley made much of the fact that, so far, we have not been able to do so, but he should talk to his colleague who was Economy Minister, who did not want to mention the opportunities in our 10X Economy strategy that made us able to exploit the benefits of the opportunity to have a free flow of trade into both markets.”
“<BR /> <BR />Although this is not part of the articles that are being debated today, it has been raised, so it is crucial for me to state, both as leader of the Alliance Party and as Minister of Justice, the importance of article 2 in protecting rights under the Good Friday Agreement and the European Convention on Human Rights. We will continue to defend that from any attack or diminution, in line with the Windsor framework. <BR /> <BR />While I have spoken about overcoming the challenges that Brexit presents, if we are focused on the future and on growing our economy, we also need to be willing to exploit any opportunities as they arise.”
“<BR /> <BR />Ultimately, closer and stronger relationships with the EU and better alignment between the UK and the EU would reduce the need for many aspects of the Windsor framework and would limit friction for business and trade. The UK Government have indicated that they want to achieve that, and, as a party, we are open to further negotiated, bilaterally agreed changes that deliver those improvements. However, unilateral actions, reneging on agreements or breaking international law in limited and specific ways not only are destabilising but fly in the face of the Government's commitment to rebuild those strong relationships with the EU. I trust that that phase in our relationship has now passed.”
“We are not professional critics; we are meant to be professional problem-solvers. <BR /> <BR />There are other aspects that would help improve our relationship with the EU and provide us with additional opportunities, including, among others, a progressive return to freedom of movement; deepening of the policing and justice cooperation agreements, which, I have to say, have been incredibly successful; mutual recognition of professional qualifications; merging of UK and EU emissions trading regimes and carbon border adjustment mechanisms; and a joint approach on chemicals. All of those will take time and trust to advance, but all of them offer us new opportunities.”
“That is an issue that I have raised again with the current Secretary of State, having done so repeatedly with previous Secretaries of State. Many businesses in England opt not to trade with Northern Ireland, even when there is no regulatory barrier to doing so, due to uncertainty about the bureaucracy and paperwork. Early and enhanced engagement between Northern Ireland's elected representatives, Executive Departments and other stakeholders in the development of EU law is also essential if we are to avert crises and respond dynamically to new developments. Furthermore, in Alliance, we are mindful of the challenges coming down the line on the GPSR regulations and parcels, and we continue to work to find solutions to those and other challenges. That is our job.”
“Those issues can be tackled only in collaboration with others, including civic society and businesses. The consensus there is clear: we need to improve implementation through practical measures, including a comprehensive UK/EU veterinary and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement such as we advocated during the negotiations. We know that an ambitious SPS agreement and UK/EU veterinary agreement would significantly reduce checks and bureaucracy on Irish Sea trade and enhance our collective food security, both of which things we would all welcome, not least because it means that, the next time Mr Buckley gets up to outline a list of problems, it will be considerably shorter. <BR /> <BR />We also need improved information and assistance for businesses based in GB regarding trade with Northern Ireland.”