Long rejects call for inquiry into police surveillance of journalists claims

Stormont’s Justice Minister Naomi Long has rejected a call to set up an inquiry into the alleged surveillance of journalists by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

However, Ms Long told the Assembly that she shared concerns raised by a number of MLAs and said she was assured Chief Constable Jon Boutcher was taking the allegations “incredibly seriously”.

But she said that the Policing Board must, in the first instance, be allowed to “thoroughly explore” the issues.

Earlier this week, Mr Boutcher announced an independent review, headed by Angus McCullough KC, of any use of surveillance against journalists and other specific groups by the PSNI.

It came after concerns raised during an Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) hearing in London.

The hearing was during an ongoing case examining allegations that investigative reporters Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney were subject to unlawful covert intelligence by the police.

On Tuesday, the SDLP submitted a motion at Stormont calling for an independent inquiry into the alleged use of “wiretapping and other unlawful practices against journalists”.

Responding, the Justice Minister said: “I want to make it very clear that I share the concerns raised widely about the alleged routine surveillance of journalists.”

However, she pointed out that the Policing Board was the oversight body for the PSNI and the fact that the IPT hearing was still progressing.

Ms Long said: “I am assured the Policing Board is holding the Chief Constable to account on this most serious matter.

“Therefore it is important in the first instance that I afford the Policing Board the opportunity to thoroughly explore these issues with the Chief Constable.

“I am also assured the Chief Constable himself is taking the allegations incredibly seriously and is working closely with the Policing Board in its deliberations.

“The Chief Constable will bring a further report to the Policing Board in the near future.”

She added: “I believe it would be premature at this stage to consider whether there is further action required on my part.

“I am not for a second ruling out action in future. Should my assistance be required I will not be found wanting.

“But I believe that allowing the Policing Board to hold the Chief Constable to account at this stage represents a better use of public money, respects fully the independence and centrality of their role and has the ability to provide clarity on any outstanding matters more swiftly.”

MLAs backed an Alliance amendment to the motion which said the issue was in the first instance a matter for the Policing Board.

Matthew O’Toole, the leader of the SDLP Opposition at Stormont, said if the board could not act, then the Justice Minister needed to intervene.

He added: “The revelations of journalists being surveilled are profoundly serious, and have gotten progressively more concerning since they first emerged.

“Press freedom, and particularly the protection of sources, are a cornerstone of a free, democratic society but we know Northern Ireland is already a comparatively unsafe place to be a journalist, and our defamation regime is already used vexatiously to shut down public interest journalism.

“Given the seriousness of these issues, there is an onus on the Policing Board to use its powers to act to establish a fully independent statutory inquiry in order to understand the breadth and depth of these practices.

“If the Policing Board cannot or will not then the Justice Minister needs to act – this cannot be another area where her department avoids taking responsibility.”