The North’s Justice Minister Naomi Long has welcomed a pilot scheme to film the delivery of judgments in the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland.

The pilot was announced on Friday (9 February) by the Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan.

The video will not be broadcast, but will be used to test the process and inform future decisions.

Minister Long described the development as “an important step forward in opening up our courts, and engendering a better understanding of the legal system here”.

Legislative changes

Broadcasting in courts can already happen in England, Scotland, and Wales in certain circumstances.

Any future decision to introduce this in the North would require legislative changes to enable it to become embedded in the court process.

The minister said that she was open to a discussion on such changes, or any recommendations that might be brought forward as a result of the pilot scheme.

“Allowing broadcasting in courts would increase transparency and enable the public to view decisions being made by the judiciary in Northern Ireland. This can only be a good thing,” she concluded.