A spokesperson said that the meeting was rescheduled without consultation
The Department of Justice have said that Minister Naomi Long missed today’s Executive meeting where it was agreed to allocate £119m to a compensation scheme for those impacted by the PSNI data breach due to a “prior arrangement.”
Ministers met on Wednesday to approve the funding after Mrs Long had previously announced the funding last week without having Executive approval.
Deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly criticised the Minister for not attending the meeting but welcomed that the rest of the Executive were able to approve the funding in her absence.
A Department of Justice spokesperson said: “Today’s meeting was originally due to take place on 11th December but was rescheduled without consultation.
“The Minister was unable to attend due to a prior arrangement and this can happen to all Stormont Ministers on occasion.
“Notwithstanding this diary clash, the Justice Minister has discussed the PSNI data breach at length with her ministerial colleagues and is pleased that this work has resulted in today’s commitment to provide £119m to fund the costs of compensation claims.”
Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said: “I am absolutely delighted by today’s announcement that Ministers have agreed to ring fence £119 million towards compensation for our officers and staff following the data breach. Claimants can now have confidence that a settlement process will progress next year following two years of lobbying numerous stakeholders to get to this position.
“As I stated last week, this is a hugely important step in recognising the impact this has had on everyone, and it is a signal that the government recognises the seriousness and importance of delivering a fair and timely resolution. I could not be more pleased. We have been aiming to achieve this news since I arrived as Chief Constable.
“I want to personally recognise the exceptional commitment of our officers and staff who every day serve our communities with professionalism, resilience and a deep sense of duty, often in challenging and unseen circumstances. I am immensely proud of the work they do and the dedication they bring to keeping people safe.”
Police Federation of Northern Ireland Chair Liam Kelly added: “Thankfully, this deal is now across the line. It will come as welcome relief as we approach Christmas.
“That said, it will be some time before officers see compensation awards. We have six test cases before the Court and they must be concluded first. Awards set by the Court will ‘signpost’ levels of compensation that will be offered to their colleagues.
“There is no one-size-fits-all. Some officers have had upsetting, distressing and traumatising experiences on the back of this massive breach. There are colleagues in sensitive posts, along with others who went to great pains to keep their employment details confidential, who’ve been greatly impacted.
“As with most things, the devil will be in the detail. So far, all we know is that the £119 million has been ringfenced, and that’s progress. What this means in practice has to be explored. We were told by the Justice Minister in her pre-announcement gaffe last week that compensation would start to be paid in the next financial year (April 2026).
“We welcome this announcement but there remains a long way to go before this unfortunate incident can be put behind us.”
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