The Justice Minister has insisted ideology will play no part in determining policies for housing transgender prisoners in Northern Ireland.
Naomi Long was responding to questions in the Assembly around a recent case involving a transgender woman who was transferred from Maghaberry male prison to Hydebank Wood female prison.
DUP MLA Joanne Bunting asked the minister what action she would take to ensure that the women’s prison “does not accept biological male inmates”.
Ms Bunting claimed that such arrangements in England and Scotland had created a “predators’ charter” that compromised the rights and safety of women.
“Rather than championing the rights of those who want to be women, will the minister move to protect actual biological adult human females in the prison setting,” Ms Bunting asked.
TUV MLA Timothy Gaston tabled a similar question to Ms Long, asking her to set out actions she is taking to “ensure men are not imprisoned in the women’s prison at Hydebank”.
In response, Ms Long criticised the tone of the Assembly exchanges, characterising them as part of a “ludicrous culture war”.
“It would be dangerous to give a commitment that a male prisoner will never be housed in a female prison and vice versa, as there may be unique risks and issues which lead to such a situation,” she said.
“The risks presented by each case will be assessed on their own merits.”
She noted that the Hydebank Wood site, which also houses a secure college for young offenders, was already mixed gender.
The minister said the “risks of holding males and females in separate accommodation are managed on a daily basis”.
“I am satisfied that the Prison Service remains committed to ensuring that people in prison are held safely and securely at all times and treated with dignity and respect,” she added.
The minister described Ms Bunting’s remark about a predators’ charter as “scurrilous” as she contended that in many cases transgender prisoners were among the most vulnerable in the entire prison population.
“I think it’s also important to say that what I champion as Minister of Justice is justice, fairness, equality and dignity,” she added.
“And when it comes to prisons, I champion the safety of every single prisoner, whether that person identify as female, whether they were latent female, whether they were born as a man, whether they identify as a man, it is their safety and not any ideology – whether that be trans ideology or anti-trans ideology – that will drive the protective work we do within the prison system.”