Debate contribution: Justice: Efficiencies

Debate contribution by Mr Jonathan Buckley on 10 February 2026.

MLA: Mr Jonathan Buckley
Party at the time: Democratic Unionist Party
Date: 10 February 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Oral Answers to Questions
Heading: Justice: Efficiencies
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5435723

Text

The public expect the appropriate use of public money. With efficiency in mind, will the Minister confirm or deny that the Prison Service, which is under her remit, spends up to £3,000 a day to fly external psychiatrists in from England to assess prisoners? Does the Minister think that that is an appropriate use of public money? At a time when parents of children with special educational needs wait years for an assessment, should they not have priority over prisoners in accessing such services to the tune of that amount of money?

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

Part of an exchange

This follow-up belongs to: Topical question AQT 2034/22-27.

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