Other News In Brief

Beattie Expresses Serious Concerns Over Support For Victims Of Crime

Ulster Unionist leader and Justice Spokesperson, Doug Beattie, has expressed serious concerns regarding the current state of support and communication for those who have experienced crime.

Despite the commendable efforts of existing services, Mr. Beattie highlights areas of improvement needed and calls on the Justice Minister to conduct an in-depth review to ensure victims and witnesses receive the support they require.

Mr. Beattie said: "The figures provided by the Justice Department indicate significant strides in various aspects of victim and witness support. However, it is evident from the data that a crucial aspect requiring attention is the communication and ongoing support provided to those affected by crime.

"Numbers may show progress in several areas, but the real test lies in the satisfaction and well-being of victims and witnesses. It is disconcerting to learn that a substantial percentage of respondents are not being kept informed about the progress of their cases,

"The statistics reveal that only 77% of respondents reported having been given the name and contact details of the officer in charge of their case. This lack of communication extends to updates on case progress, with 18% of respondents waiting over 6 months for an official update, and 11% reporting not having heard anything officially at all.

"This is not merely a statistical concern; it is a matter of ensuring that victims and witnesses feel supported throughout the entirety of the legal process. We cannot consider the case closed when individuals are left in the dark about the progress and conclusion of their cases.

"In the year 2022/23, the proportion of witnesses reporting that a criminal justice source had kept them informed decreased from 68% to 58%. Additionally, only 73% of respondents overall reported knowing what the sentence had been in their case. This lack of awareness highlights a gap in the post-case follow-up and communication process.

"While I acknowledge the high satisfaction rate with the Adult Witness Service or the Young Witness Service, the need for improvements in ensuring that all those who attend court receive the support they require is obvious. Only 60% overall (68% of victims and 46% of witnesses) of those who attended court reported having received support.

"This is not just a numbers game; it is about the individuals affected by crime feeling heard, supported, and informed throughout the entirety of the legal process. I am calling on the Justice Minister to conduct a thorough review of our current support and communication mechanisms, addressing the gaps identified in this data."

Greens Call On Communities Minister To Rethink Council Decision The Communities Minister announcement that Council's must return to in-person meetings from 06 March has been described as an 'ideological, rather than practical" decision.

Responding to the announcement, Green Party Councillor Anthony Flynn said: "This is an incredibly short-sighted move by the minister, which seems to be more ideological, rather than practical.

"The ability to attend Council meetings remotely ensures councils are more accessible to those with particular needs, including those with caring responsibilities or physical or mental needs. Employers are required under employment law to make reasonable adjustments to allow you to do your job, Councils should be no different and should instead be leading the way in accessibility.

"The Minister seems to forget that Councillors don't attend council meetings full time. We are often required to attend meetings at various times throughout the day, often during work hours, the ability to attend remotely increases accessibility whilst maintaining productivity at meetings. It wouldn't be a huge burden on the minister to simply extend the current regulations to allow for remote meetings, until his department has time to implement new regulations.

"The Green Party calls on the minister to reverse this short-sighted decision, and extend the current provisions for remote meetings."

SDLP Welcomes Extension Of Nexus Counselling Contract

The SDLP has welcomed the Department of Health decision to extend counselling for sexual abuse victims provided by Nexus.

East Derry MLA Cara Hunter had submitted an urgent oral question to the Health Minister after it was announced the his Department had ended its contract with Nexus without a replacement service in place.

Ms Hunter asked Minister Robin Swann to ensure that we never end up in the same situation in the future.

East Derry MLA Ms Hunter said: "This announcement by the Health Minister following my urgent question in the Assembly on Monday will be a huge relief to victims of sexual abuse who rely on this counselling to support them. News that free counselling services were being removed had caused great uncertainty, with hundreds of people in crisis referred to Nexus each month for help.

"In the days since the initial announcement we have heard from numerous victims and survivors about just how important these services have been in helping them rebuild their lives. Anyone who goes through the horrendous ordeal of abuse will be left with long-term impacts and I dread to think what could have happened if this support was not restored.

"I welcome the Minister's swift action to extend the contract with Nexus for another year, but he must now ensure that we do not find ourselves back in this position in future. We need a long-term approach to supporting victims of abuse that ensures people can access counselling services for free when they need them. This decision following pressure by the SDLP Opposition team shows that we can achieve positive change for people when highlighting important issues."