Debate contribution: Justice Bill: Consideration Stage

Debate contribution by Mr Maurice Bradley on 16 June 2026.

MLA: Mr Maurice Bradley
Party at the time: Democratic Unionist Party
Date: 16 June 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Executive Committee Business
Heading: Justice Bill: Consideration Stage
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5625199

Text

I will address the group 7 amendments, with particular focus on amendment No 87 and the proposed accreditation framework for restorative justice practitioners. Whilst I support restorative justice where it is delivered professionally, consistently and with the confidence of victims and the wider public, I am not convinced that the amendment provides sufficient detail on how the proposed system will operate. Who will set the standards? How will practitioners be assessed? What safeguards will exist to ensure consistency across all organisations? Most importantly, who will be held accountable if those standards are not met? We must also consider the impact on smaller community organisations that have long been involved in restorative work. There is a risk that excessive bureaucracy could discourage participation without necessarily improving outcomes. Accreditation should mean more than adding names —.
I will.

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

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