Media Operational Notice

Assembly’s Justice Committee to Hear From Minister of Justice on Sentencing Bill and Deepfake Amendment

FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY

At its meeting this week, the Assembly’s Committee for Justice will hear from the Minister of Justice and departmental officials on the proposed deepfake amendment to the Criminal Justice (Sentencing etc) Bill.

The amendment seeks to explicitly criminalise the non-consensual creation and sharing of sexually explicit deepfake images.

Members will also be briefed on the Bill by representatives of the Law Society of Northern Ireland.

Date: Thursday 02 July 2026

Oral Briefings

2:15pm-3.30pm                  

Mr David A Lavery CB, Law Society of Northern Ireland
Ms Emma Lyons, Law Society of Northern Ireland
Mr Joe McVeigh, Law Society of Northern Ireland
Mr Eoghan McKenna, Law Society of Northern Ireland
Ms Ann McMahon, Law Society of Northern Ireland

3.30pm-4.30pm               

Mrs Naomi Long, Minister of Justice
Mr Andrew Dawson, DoJ
Ms Lorraine Ferguson-Coote, DoJ                   

Location: Room 30, Parliament Buildings          

Watch: Home - Northern Ireland Assembly TV (niassembly.tv)

For media enquiries, please contact felicity.templeton@niassembly.gov.ukor on 07977 635930.  For more details see the Business Diary.

Note: You can find out more about the Criminal Justice (Sentencing etc) Bill here