Debate contribution: Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill: Second Stage

Debate contribution by Mrs Diane Dodds on 15 September 2026.

MLA: Mrs Diane Dodds
Party at the time: Democratic Unionist Party
Date: 15 September 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Private Members' Business
Heading: Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill: Second Stage
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5706175

Text

Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. If I recall correctly, just before the break for Question Time, we had been talking about the issue of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI) and the lack of an equality impact assessment (EQIA). It may be useful at this stage if I give way to the sponsor of the Bill to advise why, in the explanatory and financial memorandum (EFM), it says that the engagement:
"did not raise any potential adverse effects and suggested that the Bill may positively affect some groups."
Can he outline his engagement with the Equality Commission, what its view was on the Bill, whether it took a position on it and maybe even why it chose not to do an equality impact assessment?

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

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