Debate contribution: Victims and Witnesses of Crime Bill: Second Stage

Debate contribution by Mr Patsy McGlone on 30 June 2026.

MLA: Mr Patsy McGlone
Party at the time: Social Democratic and Labour Party
Date: 30 June 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Executive Committee Business
Heading: Victims and Witnesses of Crime Bill: Second Stage
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5653439

Text

OK. I thank my colleague — indeed, the Minister — for responding. It is, as the Minister said and my colleague highlighted, a sensitive area. People who are approached to give a reference should think long and hard about the implications of the references that they give: where they might wind up; the circumstances in which they give them; whether they have been provided with full and detailed information about the case; and the sensitivities of the victims in a case when the reference is for the person who is before the court and has been charged with the offence. Courts should not provide an opportunity for those charged with an offence involving aggravation by hostility to abuse victims and witnesses even further. Limiting the power to dismiss charges involving the death of or serious physical harm to a vulnerable person will enhance the fairness and integrity of those criminal proceedings. We welcome the objectives of the Bill in all those matters, and I look forward to continuing its scrutiny as a member of the Justice Committee, subject, of course, to its successfully passing Second Stage today. That said, we are disappointed that the Minister decided, as she outlined earlier, not to bring forward the necessary legislative proposals for Caoimhe's law, but she has said that she will provide more detail to the Committee, and I look forward to hearing that. The development of those proposals has the support of all parties, and, as far as I recall, the unanimous support of the Justice Committee. I accept that the Minister's Department, as she has stated repeatedly, does not have the capacity or resources to develop those legislative provisions during this mandate. There has, however, been some confusion between the Justice Minister and the Department for Infrastructure over who said what to whom and when about the development of the proposals. The fact that the Justice Department remains best placed to develop legislative proposals that are robust and comprehensive on that issue is extremely important, and I look forward to hearing from the Minister on that at the Committee. It is not appropriate to leave the entire responsibility to the Justice Committee or its individual members. The reality is that it is victims and their families who would be most affected by Caoimhe's law, including those who have campaigned tirelessly on the issue. Many of us have heard from and met them, and they want to see action. They want to see provisions promised in the Assembly brought forward. The Minister's decision not to bring them forward at this stage will be a disappointment to them. I hope that the Minister will reconsider her position or at least be in the best position to provide some support for the development of legislation on that in conjunction with the Committee. We know that the Minister is not averse to proposing amendments to her Bills. In this case, I am certain that all members of the Justice Committee would be happy to accommodate an amendment from the Minister, and I look forward to working on that with the Minister, the Department and colleagues on the Justice Committee.

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

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