Naomi Long accuses Matthew O’Toole of trying to ‘impugn her character’

Northern Ireland’s Justice Minister Naomi Long has accused SDLP Stormont leader Matthew O’Toole of attempting to “impugn” her character and integrity as she answered questions over an ongoing strike by criminal barristers.

The exchange in the Assembly occurred after Mr O’Toole drew attention to an error made by the minister during a live broadcast interview, accusing her of attempting to “win an argument rather than solve a problem”.

Criminal barristers started the strike action this month in a long-running dispute over the fees paid for legal aid work.

The escalated action has effectively halted Crown Court cases involving people who required legal aid.

The barristers have argued it is a “last resort”, and that legal aid fees are worth less than half what they were worth in 2005 when they were set.

But Ms Long has said a recent 16% uplift will amount to an annual increase of £11.5 million in legal aid fees.

The Department of Justice issued a clarification last week after Ms Long said on air that a barrister earned more than £3 million in legal aid in a single year.

The department clarified that one barrister did earn £3.98 million, but it was over a three-and-a-half year period which ended in September.

Raising the issue at ministerial question time, Mr O’Toole said the error would have “set back relations that have already been frayed between you and the Criminal Bar”.

He added: “The people who are suffering are victims and witnesses of crime awaiting the criminal justice process.

“It speaks to a deeper tendency people have observed in you, which is a desire to win an argument rather than solve a problem.

“Will you commit now to entering into a process of mediation with the Criminal Bar, as suggested by the Lady Chief Justice?”

Ms Long responded: “I note that every time the member asks a question, he always tries to in some way impugn my character or my integrity as part of his questioning.

“It can never simply be a case that there is a disagreement and that I am actually trying to resolve that disagreement, he always has to have a dig at me personally when he asks this question.

“I have already put on the record my error in that quote.

“Let’s be absolutely clear then for the avoidance of doubt, one barrister received three £3.98 million over a three-and-a-half year period, which ended in September 2025.

“That was just over the cumulative total paid to 53% of their colleagues involved in criminal legal aid work.

“That is the fact of the matter and people can make of those facts what they wish.”

The minister said the fact that some “young barristers are not able to earn a living is not down to the rates of pay, but down to the poor distribution of cases amongst the bar and the concentration of large numbers of cases with a small number of barristers”.

She added: “I’m happy to correct the record where I have been wrong, despite what some people say.

“And I am not about winning an argument here, but I am about protecting public money, and I have to be.

“Were I to come to this chamber in the context of the budgetary constraints that we face, and be profligate in my spending of public money, I’m sure the leader of the opposition would be the first to his feet to suggest it’s a character trait of mine.”

Ms Long went on to tell MLAs that she was hopeful the strike could be brought to an end “sooner rather than later”.

She was then asked what options her department is considering to deliver services if the strike does not conclude quickly.

Ms Long said short-term mitigations were being considered in some cases.

She added: “A number of cases have been assessed, 13 in total, by people who are experts in supporting victims and witnesses and who understand the cases.

“And those have been identified for a derogation from the strike, what we’re asking is the bar to proceed with those 13 cases.

“Those are cases that are already progressing, and therefore it would make sense that they would be able to progress the conclusion and they involve high risk and vulnerable victims.

“So far, only one of those has been agreed, but I understand the conversations are ongoing between PPS and the bar about some further cases of those 13.”

Ms Long said it was not the first time criminal barristers had gone on strike, adding “we cannot have the justice system essentially held hostage like this periodically in relation to disputes”.

“There are things I think we can do better in terms of regular reviews of fee levels and regular engagement, and I’ve undertaken to do that.

“There are also things we need to look at in terms of alternative delivery of service which will be for the longer finger, but will still need to be done nevertheless.”