Debate contribution: Criminal Bar Association: Withdrawal of Services
Debate contribution by Mrs Naomi Long on .
- MLA
- Mrs Naomi Long
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 20 January 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Criminal Bar Association: Withdrawal of Services
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5348510
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for his question, and I think that that is a key issue. We know that there are high levels of attrition in the criminal Bar, particularly with newly qualified barristers, and that it is very difficult for people to get, if you like, a foot on the ladder and to gain experience. There are competing tensions in this. Some people will say that they want to have the best possible and most experienced barrister, and that is, of course, everyone's right whether they are legally aided or not. Equally, we have to have a profession that is sustainable, and that relies on being able to give newly qualified barristers the experience that they need to be able to become those most experienced in their field and in the profession. With an ageing criminal Bar and with that deficit of young people being able to make their way, it is part of the overall review of enabling access to justice that we have been taking forward as a Department. Part of that will be around the issue of refresher fees. I do not intend to labour the issue of refresher fees again today, because I realise that it is complex and is subject to discussions with the CBA at this time. I believe that my officials are with the CBA at the moment; at least, they are meant to be if things have gone according to plan. Refresher fees will be incredibly important in redistributing some of the work within the criminal Bar, as will some of the reform that we are hoping to do on the various court tiers. I want to see a fairly paid, sustainable criminal Bar and solicitor profession, but I do not create all the conditions for that. My only leverage is around legal aid. The remainder, on sustainability of the profession, is a matter for the Bar Council itself and for the Law Society, but I will do what I can to support any action that they might take to make that more possible.
343 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: 0.03 (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 (0.89).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- 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 | 0.03 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.89 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.03 | 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 |
|---|---|
| No identity-related subject | 0.76 |
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.23 |
| Another identity-related subject | 0.01 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 14:13 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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