Judgments and legal exchanges in the Court of Appeal and sentencing remarks in Crown Court cases are among the first proceedings that could be publicly broadcast under the proposals being considered by the Department of Justice.

The launch of a public consultation follows a recent pilot, overseen by the lady chief justice, which saw BBC NI, UTV, Sky News, ITN and PA Media film — but not broadcast — the handing-down of judgments in the Court of Appeal.

Legislative change is necessary before any footage can be broadcast and is not likely to happen before the next Northern Ireland Assembly elections in 2027.

Justice minister Naomi Long said: “I welcome this consultation as I believe that broadcasting of certain court proceedings would be a positive step in improving the public’s right to see justice being done.

“I am conscious, however, that there may be concerns around broadcasting of court proceedings, not least the potential for exacerbating the trauma of victims.

“As always, any change will be victim focused; in bringing forward these proposals, I wish to make it clear that we are not proposing to allow the recording or filming of victims, witnesses or jurors.

“We are also not suggesting that members of the public or court staff would be filmed.

“I believe the proposals in the consultation support the principle of open justice while ensuring the rights of victims and witnesses are fully respected.”

The lady chief justice, Dame Siobhan Keegan, said: “The Department’s consultation helpfully builds on the pilot I initiated to test the feasibility of filming the delivery of judgments in the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal, which demonstrated that the broadcasting of certain proceedings could work well in practice while maintaining the solemnity of the court.”

Mrs Long added: “Allowing for greater transparency in the conduct of court business would help to improve public understanding of what the judiciary does and how judicial decisions are made.

“This should enhance public confidence and trust in our justice system, which is why I am consulting on this important initiative.”

The consultation will run until Wednesday 16 July 2025.