Civil Justice Modernisation Delivery Plan

The Bar of Northern Ireland welcomes the Minister’s new ‘Civil Justice Modernisation Delivery Plan’. Ensuring that all members of our society can rely upon effective and efficient access to justice is a core principle of the Bar and we are proud that, on a daily basis, our barristers respond to the complex needs of our diverse society with expertise,independence and empathy.

As experienced practitioners in the areas of civil and family justice, the Bar recognises that the Minister’s plan has the potential to deliver a significant impact to the administration of justice in an area that often involves challenging issues and disputes.

The ambitions expressed within the delivery plan about alternative dispute resolution, addressing the needs of vulnerable parties and realising the benefits of digitisation are all areas of important work that align with existing reforms that have, for some time, been proactively advanced and delivered by the Bar.

We have also followed closely the important research that has been undertaken about the impacts on civil and family justice during covid -19 and the role played by technology. We anticipate that such learning will have a significant bearing on the implementation of the plan. The sustainability and integrity of any reforms will depend upon availing of proven expertise utilising research, consultation and evaluation.

We also do not underestimate the difficulty in securing, in a post covid-19 environment, the financial investment and resources that will be required to ensure that the quality and fairness of our justice is upheld as well as the possible implications for the physical court and tribunal estate in Northern Ireland.

The Bar looks forward to engaging on the Minister’s priority areas identified in the delivery plan as they progress in the months ahead and to demonstrating the existing services and facilities created by the Bar that support the aims contained within the plan.