Jayne McCormackPolitical correspondent, BBC News NI
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The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has been accused of stalling plans by Stormont’s justice minister to include transgender people as a “protected” group in new hate crime legislation for Northern Ireland.
Naomi Long wrote to other executive parties at the start of November seeking approval for the move.
In her letter, seen by BBC News NI, she said she wants to “provide equality” by including the measure as part of a bill aimed at changing sentencing laws.
The DUP said it could only come to a view on an issue “upon the submission of a formal paper containing the relevant proposals”.
A party spokesperson added that its ministers “carefully consider all executive papers and as part of the confidential executive process seek further clarification and information in coming to a view on any paper”.
The minister’s letter said that transgender identity is already a protected characteristic in hate crime legislation in other parts of the UK and Ireland.
Existing protected groups are race, sexual orientation, religion and disability.
Other executive parties in support of proposal
It is understood that Sinn Féin and the Ulster Unionist Party told the minister they would support her proposal, but the DUP did not respond to Long’s letter by her requested deadline of mid-November.
The bill first got executive agreement in December 2024, but Long needs approval from executive parties for all of its draft contents before it can be introduced to the assembly.
It is understood that the first and deputy first ministers also wrote to Long last month, saying that any “additional provisions” would require executive agreement in the “normal way”, via a paper to the executive with formal recommendations.
A Stormont source said: “It is encouraging that most parties around the executive table are backing the protection of trans people, but the DUP aren’t engaging and our system of government gives them a unilateral blocking power over the progress of these proposals.
“The DUP seem to once again be happy with a border in the Irish Sea when it comes to progress on social issues in Northern Ireland.”
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Naomi Long wrote to other executive parties at the start of November seeking approval for the move
In Long’s letter, she said the measure would “increase protection for transgender people who have been subjected to hate crime… and provide parity of protection against hate crime across the LGBTQI+ community”.
She cited Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) statistics that said there had been “close to 100” transgender identity incidents or hate crimes between July 2024 and June 2025, and that there was likely to be an “underreporting” of the true prevalence.
“There is clear evidence that transgender persons require protection in law based on the evidence collated by the PSNI on hate crimes and hate incidents relating to those who are transgender,” the letter added.
She went on to say that she appreciated the consideration of protection for transgender people comes at a time when trans identity is ” the focus of ongoing public and political debate”.
It comes after a Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that said a woman is defined in law by biological sex.
The ruling had significant implications for single-sex spaces in Great Britain, such as female changing rooms and toilets.
The court had been asked to decide on the proper interpretation of the 2010 Equality Act, which applies across Great Britain but not in Northern Ireland.
Long said that hate crime is a criminal offence separate from equality law and that therefore, she believes it is important to “address the gap” in providing protection for victims of transgender hate crime.
The proposed sentencing bill, would, amongst other things, impose tougher sentences on people who cause death by dangerous driving.
Long said it will also introduce hate crime provisions that would modernise current laws and provide greater protections for all victims.
Her bill comes five years after a judge carried out an independent review of hate crime legislation.
At the time, Desmond Marrinan recommended that Northern Ireland should treat all crimes with an age or gender-based motive as hate crimes, including those against transgender people.
