Civil Justice Modernisation

Part of Ministerial Statement – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 11:30 am on 23 March 2021.

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Photo of Naomi Long Naomi Long Alliance 11:30, 23 March 2021

The Department of Health has agreed to continue to fund mediation through the action plan that we have set out. We have, of course, put in bids for all aspects of the work in the Department of Justice and, where we have that funding secured, the plan has been cut to fit that cloth. We recognise that we have limited time and resource to make significant impacts.

Of course, if it should happen that more money is made available, there is a long list of issues that we could address in the Department. However, we also need to be realistic as to what we will get from the Department of Finance, given the competing pressures. I am in no doubt whatsoever that, for example, where the Department of Health is working with us on some of these issues, particularly early resolution, it is making a financial as well as a practical contribution to the objectives set out in the report.