Debate contribution: Domestic Abuse and Civil Proceedings Act (Northern Ireland) 2021
Debate contribution by Mrs Naomi Long on .
- MLA
- Mrs Naomi Long
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 10 November 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Domestic Abuse and Civil Proceedings Act (Northern Ireland) 2021
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5224656
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I am glad that I do not have to write to you, because that was the next part of my answer, and I just thought that it was too long as I was working my way through it. First, work is continuing on section 32, which places a requirement on the Department to publish a statement setting out information about the level of participation by personnel and staff in domestic abuse training. The Department has already published two training statements in line with that requirement, and work is well advanced to finalise the third report. That is one way in which we can increase expertise. You will appreciate that not everyone in that cohort will be an expert provider, but it is important that all first responders and those who are in contact with people in the system have a basic level of knowledge. Work is also continuing on sections 36 and 38, which provide for the prohibition of cross-examination in person in family and civil proceedings, and section 39, which requires court rules to make specific provisions for special measures for victims of specified offences in civil proceedings. Our focus with those provisions continues to be on implementation in family proceedings, as that will have the greatest impact for victims. The provision relating to court rules on special measures for victims of domestic abuse in section 37 has already been implemented, and the drafting of the secondary legislation that is required in support of the prohibition on cross-examination in person provision is under way. Subject to emerging priorities and to securing the necessary funding for the court-appointed legal representatives, the aim is to commence that provision during this business year.
281 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.02 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.69).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- Subject area: Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.02 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.01 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.01 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.69 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.02 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.68 |
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.19 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.13 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 13:42 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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