Minister O'Dowd initiates policy development for 'Jade’s Law'‑type measures in Northern Ireland family law reform
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.”
A petition was launched in Derry on April 16, calling for Jade’s Law to be introduced in Northern Ireland.
The ‘Petition for the Incorporation of a Jade’s Law equivalent into the Criminal Justice (Sentencing etc.) Bill’ calls upon the Northern Ireland Assembly ‘to take immediate steps to incorporate the principles of Jade’s Law into the Criminal Justice (Sentencing etc.) Bill, ensuring that families in Northern Ireland receive the same protections now afforded to those in England and Wales under the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024.’
It adds: “Jade’s Law was created to end the secondary victimisation of families following domestic homicide. It ensures that parental responsibility is automatically suspended for any parent convicted of murdering or committing voluntary manslaughter against the person with whom they shared that responsibility, and that the burden of proof rests with the convicted individual to justify any continued involvement in the child’s life.
“Because family law is devolved, Northern Ireland remains outside the scope of these protections. This has left families, already devastated by loss, forced to consult the person responsible for their loved one’s death on decisions affecting surviving children. This is not only unjust; it is inhumane."
You can sign the petition at https://openletter.earth/petition-for-jades-law-equivalent-in-northern-ireland