Committee for Justice

Minutes of proceedings 29 September 2026

Committee for Justice Minutes of Proceedings 29 September 2026.pdf (172.36 kb)

Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings, Belfast

Present:                

Paul Frew MLA (Chairperson)

Emma Sheerin MLA (Deputy Chairperson)

Doug Beattie MLA

Maurice Bradley MLA

Connie Egan MLA

Ciara Ferguson MLA

Brian Kingston MLA

Present by Video or Teleconference:

Aoife Finnegan MLA

Apologies:            

Patsy McGlone MLA

In Attendance:      

Kathy O’Hanlon (Assembly Clerk)

Thomas McKillop (Senior Assistant Assembly Clerk)

Gareth Black (Assistant Assembly Clerk)

Danielle Saunders (Clerical Supervisor)

The meeting commenced at 9.35am in public session.

Agreed: That the oral evidence session on the Criminal Justice (Sentencing etc) Bill with Community Restorative Justice Ireland, Northern Ireland Alternatives and Extern will be recorded by Hansard.

1.  Apologies

As above.

2.  Draft Minutes

Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 22 September 2026.

3.  Criminal Justice (Sentencing etc) Bill – Community Restorative Justice Ireland, NI Alternatives and Extern oral evidence

The following witnesses joined the meeting at 9.39am:

Theresa Ormandy, Social Worker/Interim Programme Manager Extern Hostels & Adult Criminal Justice Services, Extern;

Denise Galbraith, Project Manager, Prisoner Support Project, Extern;

Debbie Watters – Chief Executive, NI Alternatives; and

Judy Magill, Head of Policy and Development, Community Restorative Justice Ireland.

The witnesses provided oral evidence on the Criminal Justice (Sentencing etc) Bill.

The oral evidence was followed by a question-and-answer session.

Maurice Bradley joined the meeting at 9.55am.

Aoife Finnegan left the meeting at 10.03am.

Connie Egan left the meeting at 10:19am.

During the evidence session, the witnesses agreed to provide information on case studies and outcomes in relation to Enhanced Combinations Orders (ECO).

The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.

The Chairperson thanked the witness and they left the meeting at 11.03am.

4. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting

Members were advised that the next meeting will take place on Thursday 1 October at 2pm in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.

The meeting was adjourned at 11.03am.

Paul Frew MLA

Chairperson, Committee for Justice

6 October 2026