Finance Minister John O’Dowd has committed to changing family law to automatically remove the parental responsibility of anyone convicted of the murder or voluntary manslaughter of a person with whom they share parental responsibility.
Making the announcement, Minister O’Dowd said: “I am very conscious of the devastating and life‑long impact that such circumstances have on children and on their wider families, the seriousness of these cases, and the additional trauma caused when parental responsibility continues to rest with the offender.
“I have instructed my officials to initiate detailed policy development now including provisions similar in effect to Jade’s Law, as part of a wider reform of parental responsibility and family law reforms.
“While Jade’s law is on the statute books in Britain, it has not yet been enacted due to the complexities of the process. We can and will learn from there and elsewhere.
“This approach will allow us to develop robust legislation that properly reflects our own legal system and will ultimately provide stronger protections for children and families affected by the most serious crimes.
“I am committed to legislating to make a meaningful difference to the lives of people here. Undertaking this important work and developing this legislation will enable a Bill to be brought forward in the early part of the next mandate.”
