Committee for Justice

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Politics of Northern Ireland}}

The '''Committee for Justice''' is a Northern Ireland Assembly committee established to advise, assist and scrutinise the work of the Department of Justice and the Minister of Justice (currently Naomi Long).<ref>{{cite web |title=Committee for Justice |url=http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/committees/2017-2022/justice/ |publisher=NI Assembly |access-date=9 February 2021}}</ref> The Committee undertakes a scrutiny, policy development and consultation role with respect to the Department of Justice and plays a key role in the consideration and development of legislation.

The committee was created following the devolution of policing and justice on 12 April 2010, as a result of the Hillsborough Castle Agreement, agreed under the premiership of Gordon Brown on 5 February 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|title=House of Commons - The administrative scheme for "on-the-runs" - Northern Ireland Affairs|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmniaf/177/17709.htm|access-date=2021-02-13|website=publications.parliament.uk}}</ref>

== Membership == Membership of the committee is as follows:

{| class="wikitable" border="1" |- ! colspan="2" scope="col" | Party ! scope="col" | Member<ref>{{cite web |title=Committee Membership |url=http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/committees/2022-2027/justice/ |website=www.niassembly.gov.uk |access-date=13 February 2024}}</ref> ! scope="col" |Constituency |- | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | Paul Frew MLA (Chairperson) | North Antrim |- | {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | Deirdre Hargey MLA (Deputy Chairperson) | Belfast South |- | {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | Danny Baker MLA | Belfast West |- | {{Party name with colour|Ulster Unionist Party}} | Doug Beattie MLA | Upper Bann |- | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | Maurice Bradley MLA | East Londonderry |- | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | Stephen Dunne MLA | North Down |- | {{Party name with colour|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}} | Connie Egan MLA | North Down |- | {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | Ciara Ferguson MLA | Foyle |- | {{Party name with colour|Social Democratic and Labour Party}} | Patsy McGlone MLA | Mid Ulster |}

== 2022–2027 Assembly == The committee met for the first time in the 2022–2027 Assembly on 15 February 2024.

{| class="wikitable" border="1" |- ! colspan="2" scope="col" | Party ! scope="col" | Member<ref>{{cite web |title=Committee Membership |url=http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/committees/2022-2027/justice/ |website=www.niassembly.gov.uk |access-date=13 February 2024}}</ref> ! scope="col" |Constituency |- | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | Joanne Bunting MLA (Chairperson) | Belfast East |- | {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | Deirdre Hargey MLA (Deputy Chairperson) | Belfast South |- | {{Party name with colour|Ulster Unionist Party}} | Doug Beattie MLA | Upper Bann |- | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | Maurice Bradley MLA | East Londonderry |- | {{Party name with colour|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}} | Stewart Dickson MLA | East Antrim |- | {{Party name with colour|Independent Unionist}} | Alex Easton MLA | North Down |- | {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | Sinéad Ennis MLA | South Down |- | {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | Ciara Ferguson MLA | Foyle |- | {{Party name with colour|Social Democratic and Labour Party}} | Justin McNulty MLA | Newry and Armagh |}

===Changes 2022–2027=== {| class="wikitable" ! valign="top" | Date ! colspan="2" valign="top" | Outgoing member and party ! valign="top" | Constituency ! → ! colspan="2" valign="top" | New member and party ! valign="top" | Constituency |- | 9 May 2024 | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Deirdre Hargey MLA (Deputy Chairperson, Sinn Féin) | Belfast South | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Sinéad Ennis MLA (Deputy Chairperson, Sinn Féin) | South Down |- | 28 May 2024 | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Sinéad Ennis MLA (Deputy Chairperson, Sinn Féin) | South Down | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Deirdre Hargey MLA (Deputy Chairperson, Sinn Féin) | Belfast South |- | 5 July 2024 | bgcolor="{{party color|Independent Unionist}}" | | Alex Easton MLA (Independent Unionist) | North Down | → | colspan=3 | ''Vacant'' |- | 16 September 2024 | colspan=3 | ''Vacant'' | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Stephen Dunne MLA (DUP) | North Down |- | 11 November 2024 | bgcolor="{{party color|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}}" | | Stewart Dickson MLA (Alliance) | East Antrim | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland|Alliance}}" | | Connie Egan MLA (Alliance) | North Down |- | 2 December 2024 | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Sinéad Ennis MLA (Sinn Féin) | South Down | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Jemma Dolan MLA (Sinn Féin) | Fermanagh and South Tyrone |- | 10 February 2025 | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Jemma Dolan MLA (Sinn Féin) | Fermanagh and South Tyrone | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Danny Baker MLA (Sinn Féin) | Belfast West |- | 8 September 2025 | bgcolor="{{party color|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}" | | Justin McNulty MLA (Sinn Féin) | Newry and Armagh | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}" | | Patsy McGlone MLA (Sinn Féin) | Mid Ulster |- | 15 September 2025 | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Joanne Bunting MLA (Chairperson, DUP) | Belfast East | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Paul Frew MLA (Chairperson, DUP) | North Antrim |- | rowspan=2 | 23 September 2025 | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Joanne Bunting MLA (DUP) | Belfast East | rowspan=2 | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Paul Frew MLA (DUP) | North Antrim |- | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Stephen Dunne MLA (DUP) | North Down | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Brian Kingston MLA (DUP) | Belfast North |}

== 2017–2022 Assembly == The committee met for the first time in the 2017–2022 Assembly on 22 January 2020.<ref>{{cite web |title=COMMITTEE FOR JUSTICE MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS – Thursday 23 January 2020 |url=https://www.niassembly.gov.uk/globalassets/documents/committees/2017-2022/justice/minutes-of-proceedings/23-january-2020.pdf |website=NI Assembly |access-date=27 April 2024}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" border="1" |- ! colspan="2" scope="col" | Party ! scope="col" | Member<ref>{{cite web |title=Committee Membership |url=http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/committees/2017-2022/health/membership/ |website=www.niassembly.gov.uk |access-date=9 March 2022}}</ref> ! scope="col" |Constituency |- | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | Paul Givan MLA (Chairperson) | Lagan Valley |- | {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | Linda Dillon MLA (Deputy Chairperson) | Mid Ulster |- | {{Party name with colour|Ulster Unionist Party}} | Doug Beattie MLA | Upper Bann |- | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | Gordon Dunne MLA | North Down |- | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | Paul Frew MLA | North Antrim |- | {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | Raymond McCartney MLA | Foyle |- | {{Party name with colour|Social Democratic and Labour Party}} | Patsy McGlone MLA | Mid Ulster |- | {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | Pat Sheehan MLA | Belfast West |- | {{Party name with colour|Green Party of Northern Ireland}} | Rachel Woods MLA | North Down |}

===Changes 2017–2022=== {| class="wikitable" ! valign="top" | Date ! colspan="2" valign="top" | Outgoing member and party ! valign="top" | Constituency ! → ! colspan="2" valign="top" | New member and party ! valign="top" | Constituency |- | 3 February 2020 | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Raymond McCartney MLA (Sinn Féin) | Foyle | → | colspan=3 | ''Vacant'' |- | 17 February 2020 | colspan=3 | ''Vacant'' | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Martina Anderson MLA (Sinn Féin) | Foyle |- | 9 March 2020 | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Martina Anderson MLA (Sinn Féin) | Foyle | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Emma Rogan MLA (Sinn Féin) | South Down |- | 16 March 2020 | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Pat Sheehan MLA (Sinn Féin) | Belfast West | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Jemma Dolan MLA (Sinn Féin) | Fermanagh and South Tyrone |- | 26 May 2020 | bgcolor="{{party color|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}" | | Patsy McGlone MLA (SDLP) | Mid Ulster | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}" | | Sinéad Bradley MLA (SDLP) | South Down |- | 3 November 2020 | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Karen Mullan MLA (Sinn Féin) | Foyle | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Pat Sheehan MLA (Sinn Féin) | Belfast West |- | 14 June 2021 | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Paul Givan MLA (Chairperson, DUP) | Lagan Valley | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Mervyn Storey MLA (Chairperson, DUP) | North Antrim |- | rowspan=2 | 21 June 2021 | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Paul Frew MLA (DUP) | North Antrim | rowspan=2 | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Robin Newton MLA (DUP) | Belfast North |- | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Gordon Dunne MLA (DUP) | North Down | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Peter Weir MLA (DUP) | Strangford |- | 2 August 2021 | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Linda Dillon MLA (Deputy Chairperson, Sinn Féin) | Mid Ulster | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Sinéad Ennis MLA (Deputy Chairperson, Sinn Féin) | South Down |} Source:<ref>{{cite web |title=Committee Membership |url=https://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/committees/details.aspx?cid=136|website=NI Assembly |access-date=27 April 2024}}</ref>

== 2016–2017 Assembly == The committee met for the first time in the 2016–2017 Assembly on 1 June 2016.<ref>{{cite web |title=COMMITTEE FOR JUSTICE MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS – Wednesday 1 June 2016 |url=https://www.niassembly.gov.uk/globalassets/documents/justice/minutes-of-proceedings/agreed-committee-for-justice-minutes-1-june-2016.pdf |website=NI Assembly |access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" border="1" |- ! colspan="2" scope="col" | Party ! scope="col" | Member<ref>{{cite web |title=Committee Membership |url=http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/committees/2017-2022/health/membership/ |website=www.niassembly.gov.uk |access-date=9 March 2022}}</ref> ! scope="col" |Constituency |- | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | Paul Frew MLA (Chairperson) | North Antrim |- | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | Pam Cameron MLA (Deputy Chairperson) | South Antrim |- | {{Party name with colour|Social Democratic and Labour Party}} | Alex Attwood MLA | Belfast West |- | {{Party name with colour|Green Party of Northern Ireland}} | Clare Bailey MLA | Belfast South |- | {{Party name with colour|Ulster Unionist Party}} | Doug Beattie MLA | Upper Bann |- | {{Party name with colour|Ulster Unionist Party}} | Roy Beggs Jr MLA | East Antrim |- | {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | Michaela Boyle MLA | West Tyrone |- | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | Sammy Douglas MLA | Belfast East |- | {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | Declan Kearney MLA | South Antrim |- | {{Party name with colour|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}} | Trevor Lunn MLA | Lagan Valley |- | {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | Pat Sheehan MLA | Belfast West |}

== 2011–2016 Assembly == The committee met for the first time in the 2011–2016 Assembly on 26 May 2011.<ref>{{cite web |title=Minutes of Proceedings – 26 May 2011 |url=https://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/committees/2011-2016/justice/minutes-of-proceedings/session-2011-2012-and-2012-2013/thursday-1/|website=NI Assembly |access-date=27 April 2024}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" border="1" |- ! colspan="2" scope="col" | Party ! scope="col" | Member<ref>{{cite web |title=Committee Membership |url=https://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/committees/details.aspx?cid=118 |website=www.niassembly.gov.uk |access-date=9 March 2022}}</ref> ! scope="col" |Constituency |- | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | Paul Givan MLA (Chairperson) | Lagan Valley |- | {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | Raymond McCartney MLA (Deputy Chairperson) | Foyle |- | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | Sydney Anderson MLA | Upper Bann |- | {{Party name with colour|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}} | Stewart Dickson MLA | East Antrim |- | {{Party name with colour|Social Democratic and Labour Party}} | Colum Eastwood MLA | Foyle |- | {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | Seán Lynch MLA | Fermanagh and South Tyrone |- | {{Party name with colour|Social Democratic and Labour Party}} | Alban Maginness MLA | Belfast North |- | {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | Jennifer McCann MLA | Belfast West |- | {{Party name with colour|Ulster Unionist Party}} | Basil McCrea MLA | Lagan Valley |- | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | Peter Weir MLA | North Down |- | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | Jim Wells MLA | South Down |}

===Changes 2011–2016=== {| class="wikitable" ! valign="top" | Date ! colspan="2" valign="top" | Outgoing member and party ! valign="top" | Constituency ! → ! colspan="2" valign="top" | New member and party ! valign="top" | Constituency |- | rowspan=2 | 23 April 2012 | bgcolor="{{party color|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}" | | Colum Eastwood MLA (SDLP) | Foyle | rowspan=2 | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}" | | Patsy McGlone MLA (SDLP) | Mid Ulster |- | bgcolor="{{party color|Ulster Unionist Party}}" | | Basil McCrea MLA (UUP) | Lagan Valley | bgcolor="{{party color|Ulster Unionist Party}}" | | Tom Elliott MLA (UUP) | Fermanagh and South Tyrone |- | 10 September 2012 | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Jennifer McCann MLA (Sinn Féin) | Belfast West | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Rosie McCorley MLA (Sinn Féin) | Belfast West |- | rowspan=2 | 1 October 2012 | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Sydney Anderson MLA (DUP) | Upper Bann | rowspan=2 | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | William Humphrey MLA (DUP) | Belfast North |- | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Peter Weir MLA (DUP) | North Down | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Alex Easton MLA (DUP) | North Down |- | 15 September 2013 | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Alex Easton MLA (DUP) | North Down | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Sydney Anderson MLA (DUP) | Upper Bann |- | rowspan=4 | 6 October 2014 | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Sydney Anderson MLA (DUP) | Upper Bann | rowspan=4 | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Sammy Douglas MLA (DUP) | Belfast East |- | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | William Humphrey MLA (DUP) | Belfast North | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Paul Frew MLA (DUP) | North Antrim |- | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Jim Wells MLA (DUP) | South Down | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Edwin Poots MLA (DUP) | Lagan Valley |- | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Rosie McCorley MLA (Sinn Féin) | Belfast West | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Chris Hazzard MLA (DUP) | South Down |- | 10 December 2014 | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Paul Givan MLA (Chairperson, DUP) | Lagan Valley | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Alastair Ross MLA (Chairperson, DUP) | East Antrim |- | 30 June 2015 | bgcolor="{{party color|Ulster Unionist Party}}" | | Tom Elliott MLA (UUP) | Fermanagh and South Tyrone | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Ulster Unionist Party}}" | | Neil Somerville MLA (UUP) | Fermanagh and South Tyrone |- | 15 September 2015 | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Chris Hazzard MLA (Sinn Féin) | South Down | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Sinn Féin}}" | | Bronwyn McGahan MLA (Sinn Féin) | Fermanagh and South Tyrone |- | 30 November 2015 | bgcolor="{{party color|Ulster Unionist Party}}" | | Neil Somerville MLA (UUP) | Fermanagh and South Tyrone | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Ulster Unionist Party}}" | | Danny Kennedy MLA (UUP) | Newry and Armagh |- | 8 February 2016 | bgcolor="{{party color|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}" | | Patsy McGlone MLA (SDLP) | Mid Ulster | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}" | | Alex Attwood MLA (SDLP) | Belfast West |}

== 2007–2011 Assembly == The committee met for the first time in the 2007–2011 Assembly on 22 April 2010.<ref>{{cite web |title=Minutes of Proceedings – 21 April 2010|url=https://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/committees/2007-2011/committee-for-justice/minutes-of-proceedings/session-2009-2010/22-april-2010/ |website=NI Assembly |access-date=26 April 2024}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" border="1" |- ! colspan="2" scope="col" | Party ! scope="col" | Member<ref>{{cite web |title=Committee Membership |url=https://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/committees/details.aspx?cid=136 |website=www.niassembly.gov.uk |access-date=27 April 2024}}</ref> ! scope="col" |Constituency |- | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | Maurice Morrow MLA (Chairperson) | Fermanagh and South Tyrone |- | {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | Raymond McCartney MLA (Deputy Chairperson) | Foyle |- | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | Jonathan Bell MLA | Strangford |- | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | Jeffrey Donaldson MLA | Lagan Valley |- | {{Party name with colour|Ulster Unionist Party}} | Tom Elliott MLA | Fermanagh and South Tyrone |- | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | Jeffrey Donaldson MLA | Lagan Valley |- | {{Party name with colour|Social Democratic and Labour Party}} | Dolores Kelly MLA | Upper Bann |- | {{Party name with colour|Social Democratic and Labour Party}} | Alban Maginness MLA | Belfast North |- | {{Party name with colour|Ulster Unionist Party}} | David McNarry MLA | Strangford |- | {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} | Carál Ní Chuilín MLA | Belfast North |- | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} | Alastair Ross MLA | East Antrim |}

===Changes 2007–2011=== {| class="wikitable" ! valign="top" | Date ! colspan="2" valign="top" | Outgoing member and party ! valign="top" | Constituency ! → ! colspan="2" valign="top" | New member and party ! valign="top" | Constituency |- | 25 May 2010 | bgcolor="{{party color|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}" | | Dolores Kelly MLA (SDLP) | Upper Bann | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}" | | Conall McDevitt MLA (SDLP) | Belfast South |- | 10 June 2010 | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Jeffrey Donaldson MLA (DUP) | Lagan Valley | → | colspan=3 | ''Vacant'' |- | 25 June 2010 | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Alastair Ross MLA (DUP) | East Antrim | → | colspan=3 | ''Vacant'' |- | 28 June 2010 | colspan=3 | ''Vacant'' | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Paul Givan MLA (DUP) | Lagan Valley |- | 21 July 2010 | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Jonathan Bell MLA (DUP) | Strangford | → | colspan=3 | ''Vacant'' |- | rowspan=2 | 14 September 2009 | colspan=3 | ''Vacant'' | rowspan=2 | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Wallace Browne MLA (DUP) | Belfast East |- | colspan=3 | ''Vacant'' | bgcolor="{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Tom Buchanan MLA (DUP) | West Tyrone |- | 9 November 2010 | bgcolor="{{party color|Ulster Unionist Party}}" | | Tom Elliott MLA (UUP) | Fermanagh and South Tyrone | → | bgcolor="{{party color|Ulster Unionist Party}}" | | Reg Empey MLA (UUP) | Belfast East |}

== See also == * Committee

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/committees/2017-2022/justice/ Committee for Justice at niassembly.gov.uk]

{{Northern Ireland Assembly}}

Category:Committees of the Northern Ireland Assembly Category:Parliamentary committees on justice