Connie Egan
North Down · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“As the Minister referenced in her opening remarks, creating a legislative assumption that hate crime victims are to be treated as being eligible for assistance on the grounds of fear and distress will give them deeper assurance that they will not be put into a traumatic and distressing situation in which they are forced to engage with the…”
“Being a victim of or a witness to a crime can be one of the most traumatic and challenging periods in one's life. It is therefore vital that, when entering the justice process and throughout it, people have confidence that it will be as fair, trauma-informed and comprehensive as possible.”
“Minister Long's proactive step to create that role before the legislation was introduced served the dual purpose of giving victims and witnesses as much of a voice as possible in the here and now and testing some of the responsibilities that could end up in primary legislation.”
“When I speak to victims who have engaged with the commissioner's office and ask them about their experience, their answer is always one that is grateful in nature. They highlight the importance of having someone independent who listens to them and engages with their experience.”
“Clause 27 addresses a future legal gap caused by the implementation of direct committal, limiting the power to dismiss charges involving the death or serious physical harm of a child or vulnerable person. <BR /> <BR />Part 3 provides for the creation of regulations and orders, including the commencement of the provisions.”
“Clauses 24 and 25 add offences that involve aggravation by hostility, otherwise known as "hate crimes", to the list for which witnesses are eligible for special measures.”
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“A key aspect that I will focus on is "partnership", as so much of what the Department of Justice does is part of a multi-agency and cross-departmental response to create sustainable operations in public service. Justice picks up the pieces and fills in the gaps where other Departments fall behind. It is one of the highest-spending Departments in resource terms for a reason: the responsibilities that it holds. <BR /> <BR />Justice's spring Supplementary Estimates memorandum underlined the key drivers of spending changes since the 2024-25 Main Estimates. I draw out for attention the outstanding exceptional pressures in the region of £227 million that the Department faces, which relate mainly to the PSNI data breach, the McCloud pensions remedy and the settlement of holiday pay claims.”
“<BR /> <BR />In preparation for the votes on these motions, the Committee of Justice received a timely update via the 2024-25 spring Supplementary Estimates memorandum detailing the Department of Justice's mission and the main components of spending throughout the financial year, alongside comparisons with the 2024-25 Main Estimates and the final out-turn from 2023-24. Additionally, departmental officials came before the Committee to speak to those matters and to the draft Budget for 2025-26. The Department's mission is:”
“After stop-start government, a tumultuous austerity agenda based in Westminster and costs that fell victim to inflation, leadership needed to be shown: leadership that was not about the most popular decisions but about doing what we could, thinking ahead and delivering to meet our people's core needs. I am proud that Alliance has not shied away from that task in our Departments. I will confine my remarks to the justice portfolio, as my colleague Eóin Tennyson picked up on issues relating to DAERA.”
“I congratulate the Minister on his new role and wish him well in it. I will make a few short remarks on the Supply resolutions in my capacity as the Alliance Party's spokesperson on justice. <BR /> <BR />From the beginning, this financial year was marked as challenging — a time for tough decisions, stringent, sustainable spending and leadership to attempt the impossible task of balancing our books. When the institutions came back a little over a year ago, last February, Executive parties stood together and pledged that we would show the public that we could be responsible, sustainable and responsive with our moneys to facilitate and deliver successful public services for the constituents whom we serve.”
“Minister, will you clarify whether the judgement can be appealed?”
“Thank you, Minister. How will you drive productivity in our economy, which has been persistently low in recent years?”
“Congratulations, Minister. I wish you well in your new post.”
“Thank you, Minister. I welcome your commitment to animal welfare. Will you join me on a visit to Assisi Animal Sanctuary in our constituency of North Down?”
“Minister, will you provide an update on whether you have any plans to include a similar service for children?”
“Minister, as you know, changing attitudes is a large part of your ending violence against women and girls strategy. Will the Executive Office consider working with others in the Assembly on a code of practice for legislators as to what constitutes misogyny?”
“Minister, I welcome the fact that victims of domestic abuse will be assessed and provided with emergency assistance, and that the process is to become fairer and more transparent. Will you provide a copy of the assessment process that establishes how specialised, tailored support for those who are impacted on by violence, abuse or trauma will be assessed?”
“Thank you, Minister. It is welcome to hear that the eastern transport plan aims to move towards more sustainable modes of travel. How is that in line with your Department's launching of a consultation on allowing even more taxis in bus lanes, however?”
“How will the Executive Office ensure that the consultation responses are reflected in the finalised Programme for Government?”
“Thank you, First Minister. Are there any mechanisms in your Department to ensure that there is coordination between councils when it comes to dispersing the local change fund?”
“We should not make our approach to this issue any different. A blanket rule that does not have best practice at its heart is one of the dangers that is being discussed today. We have all been contacted by women's organisations, such as HERe NI and the Women's Resource and Development Agency (WRDA), which have asked us to oppose the motion. I will do so.”
“There is nuance, individualism and context in every person who comes into contact with our criminal justice system, and it is imperative that we trust the judiciary, police and prison officers to recognise and respond to that. <BR /> <BR />The current approach allows for the needs and risks of each inmate to be assessed on a case-by-case basis and for that inmate to be accommodated through how they access services in the prison. That guidance was implemented by the Prison Service in 2022, and it aligns with international best practice, including that from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. It sincerely concerns me that any party that is represented in the Chamber could believe that there is a one-size-fits-all approach to our justice system and Prison Service. We are all different, and we all need different things.”
“It is imperative that we meet the needs of those who are in custodial facilities and give our full support to those in the Northern Ireland Prison Service. They are met with challenges every day yet they still execute their responsibilities and meet their duty of care for those who are held there. Their priority is the safety of everyone involved, and the calls that they make are informed by the advice of the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust and, very importantly, the Equality Commission: true expertise that has curated the approach that we have today, something that the motion ignores. <BR /> <BR />If we were to apply the blanket approach that the motion and the amendment suggest, we would not be fulfilling our responsibilities as a legislative Assembly to safeguard the well-being of those who are held in custodial facilities.”
“I stand to speak on the extremely important topic of protecting the rights, dignity and safety of those in custodial facilities. My party and I wholeheartedly believe that we must do everything that we can to ensure that the societal rights of those in prisons or holding facilities are upheld while their liberty is taken away. Decisions and judgements must be made in the context of individuals' needs and risks. That is best done on a case-by-case basis, and that is why we will vote against the motion. <BR /> <BR />We do not need to attack the rights or diminish the well-being of others, particularly those who are vulnerable or who belong to marginalised communities, to secure our own safety. For us to build a justice system that truly works, respect for the dignity of everyone involved must be at its core.”
“We need a consistent approach, because, all in all, this is about ending the exploitation and abuse of power to punish people, usually women and children, for merely daring to exist. <BR /> <BR />The solutions cannot be asking women to change their behaviour or just not engage online, as that makes us complicit in taking away the autonomy of those across our society. We need to permeate prevention across our culture, changing it to one that overwhelmingly finds this unacceptable.”
“<BR /> <BR />We all have a role to ensure that legislation and its accompanying actions are victim-centred. Its being funnelled and coordinated through the ending violence against women and girls programme board will allow a coordinated approach that results in long-lasting culture change. Right now, instead, we see organisations in the community and voluntary sector, such as Women's Aid, Nexus and all those in our communities, bear the brunt and consequences and the impact that this has on victims. We need comprehensive legislation, and we need to work with the UK Government to get increased detail on the contents of their proposed law. Also, in light of our shortened mandate, working with the UK Government is the best and most effective way to create change.”
“Artificial intelligence has grown and learnt at an alarming pace, becoming more and more accessible to the everyday person each year. It has become extremely sophisticated, and, through that, it is hard to decipher what is real and what is not. The hyperrealistic falsification of images, video and audio poses a sincere threat to how we perceive and protect what is real. Between 2022 and 2023, the amount of deepfake pornography created increased by 464%. That quickening pace of development does not have adequate legislation to get ahead of it. The issue of deepfakes, as the motion correctly infers, is entirely gendered, with 96% of deepfakes online being non-consensual fake videos of women. It is one of the most recent ways to degrade, humiliate and harass women online.”
“<BR /> <BR />Additionally, the amendment seeks to recognise that online communication is a reserved matter and that it should be placed with the First Minister and deputy First Minister, on behalf of the Executive, to liaise with the UK Government to ensure that changes are made as quickly as possible. I hope that Members across the Chamber will support the amendment. <BR /> <BR />The current legislative frameworks that deal with emerging forms of online abuse are clearly unfit for purpose and not victim-centred. We need coherent and unified legislation that is aimed at online activity. As the motion reflects, we welcome the recent commitments from the UK Government to introduce legislation on deepfake imagery, particularly deepfake pornography.”
“<BR /> <BR />I stand here to present the amendment, not at all to dilute the contents of the motion but, instead, to try to strengthen its place within the Executive's ongoing work on the strategic framework to end violence against women and girls. Responsibility for tackling the online abuse of women and girls lies across the entirety of our Executive, and tackling this horrific misogyny is something that our Justice Minister has prioritised since taking office. We must work together on this cross-cutting issue, not just by creating robust legislation that criminalises such heinous acts but by taking a whole-society approach to change the growing culture of acceptance. We need to show leadership, embed prevention, deter those who create this imagery and protect victims.”
“In 2021, research exposed that one in three women in the UK has experienced online abuse at some point in her life. That is only being compounded, and we need to act quickly. I sincerely thank the SDLP and Cara Hunter, in particular, for shining a light on this, particularly deepfake imagery. I commend her bravery for speaking on this topic. It is something that I know is deeply personal to her. I also thank Diane Forsythe, who shared her experience of being targeted with online abuse during the 2022 Assembly election. Both are horrendous experiences that should not have happened and that they should not have had to endure.”
“Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I rise again to speak about the horrendous violence facing women in Northern Ireland, in the rest of the UK and much further afield. Online spaces, apps and social media have become part of our everyday life. We use them every day, whether for work or for connecting with friends and family. I know, however, that I am not the only person in the Chamber who has sincere and deeply felt concerns about how spaces on the internet are being used to torment, humiliate and cause harm to women and girls.”
“Since 2020, 25 women have been murdered in Northern Ireland, and evidence shows that 98% of women have experienced at least one form of violence or abuse in their lifetime. That has to stop, and we all need to work together to end it.”
“Thank you. Yes, I absolutely agree and align myself with those comments. <BR /> <BR />Ultimately, we need a legal system that places victims at the centre. Hopefully, one thing that we can all agree on across the Chamber is that introducing pretrial education and reforming the definition of reasonable belief are steps that we can take to do so. <BR /> <BR />I have very little time, but I will touch on the wider issue of violence against women and girls. It is endemic in our society, and we need a whole-society approach to tackle it. It is an issue not just for the Department of Justice; the ending violence against women and girls strategy recognises that we need cross-departmental collaboration and initiatives across the Executive, local government and in our communities.”
“I welcome the fact that, although this matter is complex and needs to be sensitively considered, proposals are planned to be developed by the end of the mandate. A more informed definition of consent is key if we are to ensure that our legislation is inherently victim-centred and trauma-informed. <BR /> <BR />As the motion notes, the Gillen review also made recommendations on pretrial jury education. There is a lot of evidence to suggest that rape myths influence every stage of the criminal legislative process, and some individuals are likely to allow that to impact on their judgement while acting as jurors. Although it is crucial that there is some form of education, we must accept that a Minister cannot direct how the judiciary operates in the courtroom and that training for the judiciary is at the discretion of the Lady Chief Justice.”
“The Gillen review action plan was published in 2020 and, since then, for two years of that time, the Assembly was down. It is welcome that we are making the progress that we need to make on the issue. <BR /> <BR />The motion deals substantively with two aspects of the Gillen review recommendations: pretrial jury education and the legal definition of "reasonable belief". I will respond to each of those separately in the limited time that I have. <BR /> <BR />It is imperative that we put in place a legal definition of "reasonable belief" to create an increasingly victim-centred definition of consent in the law. The Gillen review made a series of recommendations on how to improve the current definition of "reasonable belief" in the Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008.”
“I stand today to make some of my first remarks in a debate in 2025. Despite it being the new year, we are unfortunately faced with the same problems. My colleagues and I are still filled with the same horror and concern at the epidemic of violence facing women and girls in Northern Ireland, which, in 2025, is still one of the most dangerous places to be a woman. <BR /> <BR />The Gillen review has made good progress over recent years despite the stop-start nature of our government, and I commend the work of Justice Minister, Naomi Long, in enabling her Department to deliver on that. I was pleased to learn recently in a Justice Committee meeting that 195 out of 253 recommendations from the Gillen review have been actioned or partially actioned, with plans to bring forward much of the remaining needed actions by the end of the mandate.”
“I thank the Minister for coming to the Chamber today. Minister, the communities of Bangor Academy and Rathmore are devastated by this decision, and I hope that you will understand that. Would you be willing to meet the principals and the school communities to discuss how you will fulfil the need and the desire for more integrated education in the north Down and, specifically, Bangor area?”
“Minister, I welcome your statement today. I think that everybody agrees that we need transformation when it comes to special educational needs. As part of your plans, will children with SEN no longer be considered as supernumerary when it comes to placements?”
“<BR /> <BR />Last week, I attended an event in my constituency of North Down to recognise Nexus's achievements, marking 40 years of public service and a changing of the way in which this society thinks about things, something that many of us in the Chamber today could only dream of achieving. From me and all of us here, "Thank you".”
“It was set up as a response to a quick succession of rapes in south Belfast, focusing on supporting people facing the most horrendous circumstances at a time when our societal definition of consent was viewed much differently from how it is viewed today and when the services that we now have in place were not there to help victims and survivors. Nexus championed education on and prevention of sexual abuse then, as it does now. In 2020, the Rape Crisis NI helpline launched alongside a new website providing educational and support materials. This year, Nexus finished training over 500 front-line PSNI officers and serious crime prosecutors to improve our response to sexual abuse in the justice system. Those are only snippets of the work in which its staff and dedicated volunteers are involved.”
“<BR /> <BR />The misogyny and ingrained hatred in our society that leads to domestic abuse is endemic and must be stopped. It is our responsibility as legislators to put in place actions and plans that do that. We need look only as far as the recently launched strategic framework to end violence against women and girls, the domestic and sexual abuse strategy or the Gillen review. They were long overdue as a result of our stop-start government and a fiscal situation that does not serve the people whom we represent, but Nexus and others were there to pick up the pieces and provide its life-saving services. I am unsure whether the average person realises the amount of work in which Nexus is involved. Its work goes beyond its absolutely vital counselling services. <BR /> <BR />As many Members have said, Nexus was founded in 1984.”
“It is a service that we cannot take for granted. Nexus has played and continues to play a fundamental role in shifting the narratives and common knowledge on sexual abuse in our culture, in our everyday lives and in our media. It has worked alongside other organisations to raise awareness of domestic abuse and it sensitivities. Our social media and news intake is fast-paced and constantly growing. It is vital that we ground the truth of those stories in the needs of victims and survivors. It is vital that we use media in a way that calls out rape myths and disempowering narratives that can cast purposeful doubt on those who have been abused, thus giving a platform to perpetrators. It is that work that Nexus's whole-society approach helps champion and bring together.”
“As a member of the Women's Caucus, I am proud to speak on behalf of the Alliance Party and my constituents of North Down to thank Nexus for 40 years' worth of absolutely vital assistance and help to individuals across Northern Ireland. The service that it delivers and the lifeline that it gives to those facing some of the hardest circumstances that anyone could ever come across is second to none. So many would be lost without it. I know that I will not need to familiarise anyone in the Chamber with Nexus's work. Unfortunately, there is not much time that goes by between constituents contacting our offices, disclosing circumstances of sexual assault or abusive relationships and seeking help moving forward in a safer environment. <BR /> <BR />Nexus is a relied-on service to which we all signpost.”
“She volunteers her time to ensure that those living with the condition have support and access to the services that they need and know that they are not alone. There is little awareness or understanding in our society of EDS. I would have included myself in that until Mandy brought the issue to my attention. I thank her, the team at Ehlers-Danlos Support UK and everyone living with the condition for their advocacy and campaigning and for enabling me to bring the petition to the Assembly today.”
“Work has begun in England, for example, to create a primary care pathway for those presenting with symptoms. Early diagnosis is essential to give someone with EDS the best chance of having a good quality of life. The petition is part of the #EnoughIsEnough campaign. It aims to give a voice to those who have, for so long, been ignored. Ehlers-Danlos Support UK, which initiated the petition, has the vision of ensuring that, across the UK, people with EDS or HSD are connected, heard and supported and have equitable access to care. That is the core of the petition. <BR /> <BR />Finally, I thank and pay tribute to my constituent Mandy McCreight. Mandy is a tireless advocate for those with EDS and disabilities.”
“Ehlers-Danlos syndromes are genetic connective tissue disorders with body-wide symptoms that can be disabling, affecting all aspects of life. The most common type — hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome — is difficult to diagnose because there is no single test. That often leads to those who have EDS feeling ignored and unrecognised. I hope that this petition's being presented today in the Chamber gives you the recognition that you deserve. <BR /> <BR />Mr Speaker, I ask that the petition be passed to the Minister of Health to draw his attention to the substantial gaps in knowledge on this condition in Northern Ireland that lead to common misdiagnosis and harmful consequences for those seeking medical care. We ask him to create a new care pathway, which falls within his remit and is happening elsewhere in the United Kingdom.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is an honour to be here today to present this petition on the diagnosis and management of Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) in Northern Ireland on behalf of members of Ehlers-Danlos Support UK, particularly its campaigners in Northern Ireland. Currently, the number of signatures on the petition exceeds 1,600. It is extremely heartening to see representatives of the Ehlers-Danlos Support UK community, some of whom have travelled from other nations in the UK for this moment, in the Public Gallery. I had the opportunity to meet them earlier. <BR /> <BR />The material ask of the petition is to end the neglect of the diagnosis and management of people with most types of Ehlers-Danlos syndromes and hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD) in Northern Ireland, which cause the utmost anxiety, distress and unnecessary pain.”
“Thank you, Minister, for your statement. Has any analysis been undertaken of the comparison between legal aid assessed by the taxing master and that spent by PPS barristers on the same cases? Does the taxation system operate elsewhere on these islands?”
“How will the food strategy framework prioritise food poverty?”
“We cannot be bystanders; we must all be vehicles for change and progress.”
“From 1 January 2023 to 30 June this year, 31,931 domestic abuse incidents were reported to the PSNI in Northern Ireland. This work is for everyone across our society to be involved in. Whether it is on providing preventative education, strengthening our justice system or providing support to victims, the message that we must send is one of change. <BR /> <BR />Today, Women's Aid Northern Ireland launched its annual figures. It reported that, in the financial year 2023-24, 527 women and 291 children stayed in one of its emergency accommodation refuges in Northern Ireland. We cannot be self-congratulatory when we are still playing catch-up on years of inaction, and women are paying the cost of that with their lives. Our approach to ending the epidemic must be to get everyone involved.”
“<BR /> <BR />Since the Assembly returned in February, we have had the publication of the strategic framework to end violence against women and girls, alongside the strategy to tackle domestic and sexual abuse. New funding has become available to provide vital support for the organisations that propped us up in the absence of a functioning Government. That does not negate the fact, though, that until September, we were the only region across these islands that did not have a dedicated action plan to tackle gender-based violence. Those steps signify only the beginning of our Executive jointly stepping up to the plate and uniting to deliver for women and girls. <BR /> <BR />I cannot stand here and pretend that we can pat ourselves on the back.”
“Today marks the start of 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. The next weeks are time for action and reflection on the global theme: unite to end violence against women and girls. To coincide with the beginning of the 16 days is White Ribbon Day, which is a global movement that was started by men to combat violence against women and girls. <BR /> <BR />Research by Ulster University recently found that 98% of women in Northern Ireland have experienced at least one form of violence or abuse in their lifetime. That is shocking and unacceptable, and the solutions are everyone's responsibility. The challenge that I put to all legislators in our Chamber today is to amplify the voices of victims and survivors across all our briefs.”
“When will we see the full roll-out of the under-13 protocol?”
“Thank you, Minister, for your answer. As part of the work that you are doing to support early education and childcare workers, will you consider helping to fund the creation of a professional body for early years and childcare workers?”
“Has the Executive Office given any consideration to bringing forward legislation to compel further contributions?”