Justice Minister Commits To Major Reform

Northern Ireland Justice Minister, Naomi Long, has reiterated her commitment to major reforms to "access to justice" The Minister was speaking following the withdrawal of services by the Criminal Bar Association and the Solicitor’s Criminal Bar Association, and the potential impact on some of our most vulnerable citizens, will be on the minds of many of Assembly colleagues today. Enhancing access to justice, particularly for the most vulnerable, has been foremost on my mind for some time.

"'It was the need to ensure we are meeting the needs and expectations of citizens that drove me to commission a review of how access to justice is enabled across the criminal and civil spheres and of course I have wanted to ensure the role of the Assembly in reviewing and testing Departmental action is respected by sharing proposals here first," Minister Long said.