AQW 40788/22-27

Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 17/02/2026
Answered On Date: 02/03/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Finance whether his Department has engaged with the Commissioner Designate for Victims of Crime in Northern Ireland regarding their Totally Invisible report into the experiences of domestic violence and abuse victims and survivors and children engaging with family court processes.

Answer:

I recognise the importance of the issues raised in the Totally Invisible report published by the Commissioner Designate for Victims of Crime, which highlights the experiences of domestic abuse victims, survivors and children who interact with the family courts. While many of the report’s findings relate to the operation of the family justice system, the concerns raised merit careful cross‑departmental consideration.

In relation to engagement, my Department has directly liaised with the Commissioner Designate for Victims of Crime on this work. I have agreed that an official from the Department will participate in the Commissioner’s Family Court Pilot Task and Finish Group, which is being established to scope, design and cost a pilot model for private family law cases involving domestic abuse.

My Department will continue to work collaboratively with other Departments to help ensure that the legislative framework remains appropriate and responsive. Through our participation in the Family Court Pilot Task and Finish Group and our membership of wider cross‑departmental forums, we will play our part in supporting improvements across the family justice system.