Justice Minister Naomi Long has officially welcomed Andrew Elliott to his new role as Chief Executive of Forensic Science Northern Ireland (FSNI).

As an executive agency under the Department of Justice, FSNI provides essential impartial scientific expertise to support the Northern Ireland criminal justice system. The organisation operates with a workforce of approximately 200 civil servants, with nearly two-thirds of the staff being scientists dedicated to active casework.

Minister Naomi Long highlighted the vital scale of the agency's work, noting that FSNI processes roughly 20,000 exhibits annually, a figure that excludes DNA swabs and blood samples. The agency also serves as the official custodian of the Northern Ireland DNA database. Speaking on the appointment, Minister Long said: "FSNI is a leader in the field of forensic science and plays a crucial role in providing evidence for criminal cases. Andrew leads an agency that brings together a wide range of forensic tools with a pronounced focus on innovation, quality accreditation and using new technologies to help ensure the right decisions are made in the justice system."

The Minister also expressed her pride in the region's integrated approach to forensics, adding: "We are fortunate in Northern Ireland to have retained such an effective and joined-up model of forensic science delivery and I am confident that Andrew's leadership skills will continue to ensure a forensic science capacity to meet the needs of policing and the wider justice system into the future."