Marshalled List of Amendments

Monday 2 March 2020

27 February 2020

Private Members’ Business

Item 4: Order Paper 12/17-22 – Monday 2 March 2020

Motion: Violent Crime

That this Assembly expresses concern about increasing levels of violent crime; recognises that this has been accompanied by a similar rise in alcohol and drug related offences; notes the effect of such crime on victims and on communities across Northern Ireland; further notes that comprehensive legislation protecting victims of domestic violence has yet to be passed; and calls on the Minister of Justice to work collaboratively with the Minister of Health to bring forward an action plan and a resourced implementation plan to reduce violent offending and the risk of reoffending.

[Mrs Dolores Kelly]

[Mr Patsy McGlone]

[Mr Colin McGrath]

The Speaker has selected the following Amendments for debate:

Amendment 1

Leave out all after ‘crime;’ and insert:

‘highlights that in 2018-19 violence against the person accounted for more than one third of all recorded crime in Northern Ireland; notes with concern the assessment by the Police Service of Northern Ireland that crime against women and children is increasing and the resulting harm becoming more severe; further notes the effect of such crime on victims and on communities across Northern Ireland; regrets that comprehensive legislation protecting victims of domestic violence has yet to be passed; notes that the public consultation on the Sentencing Review Northern Ireland, which sought views specifically on sentencing in respect of deaths by dangerous driving, attacks on elderly people and attacks on blue light services, closed on 3 February 2020; and calls on the Minister of Justice to bring forward legislation for tougher sentencing for violent crimes and to work collaboratively with the Minister of Health and victims’ advocates to introduce an action plan and a resourced implementation plan to reduce violent offending and the risk of reoffending.’

[Mr Mervyn Storey]

[Mr Paul Givan]

Amendment 2

Leave out all after ‘collaboratively’ and insert:

‘with Executive Ministers to bring forward an action plan and a resourced implementation plan to reduce violent offending and the risk of reoffending, including by addressing the root causes of offending behaviour such as addiction, mental illness, and poverty.’

[Ms Linda Dillon]

[Ms Martina Anderson]

[Mr Pat Sheehan]

Motion: Ongoing Paramilitarism in Northern Ireland

That this Assembly recognises that many communities across Northern Ireland are still living
under siege from paramilitary gangs; reiterates its total rejection of those who continue to
engage in criminality, intimidation and coercive control; gives its full support to the agencies
working to close down criminal networks and activity; and calls on the Minister of Justice to
ensure that the Police Service of Northern Ireland and other agencies are properly resourced to allow them to increase their efforts in addressing ongoing paramilitarism.

[Mr Doug Beattie]

[Mr Andy Allen]

[Mr Alan Chambers]

The Speaker has selected the following Amendment for debate:

Amendment1

Leave out all after ‘activity;’ and insert:

‘acknowledges that paramilitarism is being used as a cover for profiteering criminal gangs; further recognises that addressing the pervasive influences of poverty, deprivation and lack of opportunity in working class communities across Northern Ireland is critical to releasing the grip of criminals; and calls on the Minister of Justice to introduce Unexplained Wealth Orders to allow the PSNI to disrupt and dismantle these gangs and to work with her Executive colleagues to fully resource the PSNI and other agencies to eradicate the influence of paramilitarism.’

[Mr Patsy McGlone]

[Mrs Dolores Kelly]