Broadcasting in courts proposed
Proposed primary legislation is set to be brought forward to enable verified media outlets to broadcast from inside courts in selected cases.
The Department of Justice is now seeking, with the agreement of the Lady Chief Justice, to make secondary legislation in the form of an order to disapply section 29 of Criminal Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 1945. This provides for the prohibition of taking photographs, etc., in court.
The Department will also seek to disapply section 9 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, which pertains to the use of tape recorders in prescribed circumstances.
Public consultation, showing “broad support” for the proposed measure, concluded in October 2025. Should the legislation be enacted, Northern Ireland would become the final region of the UK to allow media organisations to film and broadcast in certain court cases.
However, the development of this legislation will be deferred until the next Assembly mandate in 2027 and will be subject to agreement by the incoming minister and new Executive.
Minister of Justice Naomi Long MLA says: “This is not about turning our courts into livestream entertainment; it is about improving public confidence in our justice system and, as always, victims and witnesses will remain at the heart of everything we do.”
The Minister adds: “Allowing broadcasting in courts will increase transparency and allow the public to view decisions being made by the judiciary in Northern Ireland.”
There will be strict criteria for who is allowed to film within the court and what they are able to broadcast. Only broadcasters who are permitted in writing by the Department of Justice will be allowed to record certain proceedings and the decision on whether a case can be broadcast will be made by the individual judge who is presiding over it.
The types of proceedings which could be broadcast under the plans include the handing down of a judgement in the Court of Appeal, exchanges between legal representatives and the court, and judges making their sentencing remarks in the Crown Court.
