Justice Minister Announces Major Reform Plans

A major programme of reform to improve access to justice and better support those using publicly funded legal services has been announced by Justice Minister Naomi Long.

The 'Enabling Access to Justice' reform programme will refocus services putting the citizen at the heart of the justice system in Northern Ireland.

Speaking today the Minister said: "People often encounter the justice system at times of crisis, when they are victims of crime and when they are experiencing trauma. How we support them can impact on how they manage those challenges, and this can determine their life outcomes. It is critical their voices are heard, and they have appropriate advice and representation to exercise their rights

"All too often justice is reduced to bureaucracy and the cost of legal advice and representation. Justice is so much more than that. That is why reform is needed. "I want to increase eligibility for legal aid, opening up the service to a wider proportion of society; I want to trial alternative dispute resolution models to take some cases away from the courts and enhance front line service provision; and I want a root and branch review of fee structure for public legal services to ensure the system is operating as efficiently and cost effectively as possible. I also want to uplift fees for publicly funded work to ensure fair remuneration and the continued availability of high-quality legal advice and representation.

"It is with all this in mind that I commissioned the enabling access to justice programme."

On resourcing, the Minister said: "I have repeatedly highlighted the pressure on the justice system and will continue to argue for more money so I can keep people safe. I am equally committed to examining how we use the resources we have at our disposal so we can be sure publicly funded legal services are working well for those who need them. This reform programme sets out a road map for achieving these aims."

The Minister continued by highlighting how justice delivery can impact on the longer-term costs of public services.  She said: "I am investing time and significant resources in this reform programme because how access to justice is enabled has an impact on the support people need and how they live and engage with society.  This has an associated cost to policing, prisons, health and support services and benefits."

On the way forward, the Minister said: "I have taken a holistic approach and considered how we enable access to justice across all case types to ensure we are not supporting some services at the expense of other more impactful actions. We simply cannot continue to allow costs to increase exponentially, and we need to ensure the system is sustainable for the future. I believe the programme launched today will help ensure sustainability as well as ensuring support remains available for the most vulnerable."