Debate contribution: Justice Bill: Consideration Stage

Debate contribution by Mrs Ciara Ferguson on 2 June 2026.

MLA

Mrs Ciara Ferguson

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

2 June 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Executive Committee Business

Heading

Justice Bill: Consideration Stage

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5584492

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I thank the Minister for her intervention, but I am not going to rest the case. This is not Sinn Féin saying this regarding the stigma for young people and the negative impact that it will have on them. This is all the children's rights organisations that came to the Committee and spoke quite clearly of the impact that it will have on our young people. In Scotland, biometric data for those under the age of 18 is captured and retained only for those arrested for violent or sexual offences or otherwise by exception. Since the adoption of that model in 2024, there has been a significant decrease in the number of children who have had their biometric data retained. The Assembly should, in the strong view of my party, apply equal caution to the creation of any system in which children who have committed minor offences or, indeed, who have not been convicted at all, risk having their biometric data retained by the state. We would support a similar approach to Scotland whereby a child's data can be retained for three years for qualifying offences that are considered to be the most serious recordable offences and represent the greatest harm to society unless the police apply for, and are granted by a court, an extension of two further years. As my colleague noted in relation to Paul and his question earlier, those extensions can be granted repeatedly. There is no maximum. Importantly, there should be strong justification for any prolonged retention of children's biometric data, and the risks associated with its processing must be recognised, assessed and managed. For less serious offences and where grounds are not established, there should be no retention of children's data. The presumption of innocence is a fundamental principle of the justice system, so arguing for data retention on the basis of investigating future crime is a highly contested human rights issue. We support a position that mandates children's rights to be actively evaluated during all ongoing biometric storage assessments and provides for children to be adequately informed in a manner understandable to them and for suitable opportunities to be provided to children to verify the deletion of their personal data. Given a wealth of evidence that demonstrates the criminogenic stigma and negative impact on children's life chances arising from contact with the criminal justice system, Sinn Féin believes that we must seriously consider the extent to which any measures proposed may result in undue stigmatisation or reduced opportunity for genuine reintegration. Significant reform is needed across our justice system to make it more efficient, transparent and worthy of public confidence. Whilst it must be victim-centred and capable of delivering community safety and public confidence, it must, in all its undertakings, also be rooted in respect for human rights. Our proposals are reflected in amendments Nos 11 to 13 and 23 and 24. I therefore encourage all Members to support those amendments.

488 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:45 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

Disagree with this assessment?

Classifications can be challenged. A person reads every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.

Challenge this classification