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Chris Lyttle commends the minister, a fellow Alliance MLA, for bringing forward the bill.

"The introduction of this legislation sends a clear message that perpetrators of domestic violence and coercive control will be brought to justice in Northern Ireland and that victims are not alone, or forgotten," he says.

"Witnessing domestic violence is child abuse," he says, welcoming the part of the bill that addresses this issue.

UUP MLA Doug Beattie refers to a tweet he saw recently:

"Open the pubs before we all become alcoholics!"

He says there's a point to this because off licence sales have "increased three-fold since we went into lockdown" and that alcohol feeds domestic abuse.

Mr Beattie says 90%of children in a violently abusive home know that abuse is taking place, 75% have seen the abuse taking place and 27% have been the subject of that violence.

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He says that "justice can't sit in a holding pattern" while the crisis continues.

Mr Beattie says he thinks there should be a commissioner for the victims of crime.

He says the UUP will "vigorously" support the minister in her efforts to bring forward this bill.

The SDLP's Dolores Kelly says she welcomes the bill, adding that it has been important to consult local bodies that have been able feed into the bill.

She says, "we were very much tempted to piggy-back on the Westminster legislation in the absence of devolution here," but says it has been beneficial to add local insight.

Mrs Kelly says it's important to "improve outcomes for children who have been witness to domestic violence".

She adds, she is "very conscious of the rise in recent weeks of domestic abuse incidents being reported to police, which is probably a vast under reporting".

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Mrs Kelly asks the minister to outline "any commitments in the forthcoming budget in terms of money to support children who have been abused".

"There is a lot of lip service and tears being shed at the plight of some, when it comes to resourcing and working with those sectors that are specialists in their field, they are very often left to scratch around on an annual basis for crumbs off the executive table," she adds.

Linda Dillon of Sinn Féin is the deputy chairperson of the Justice Committee. She says the legislation must "meet the needs of victims".

She says it's important to "listen to organisations that represent" victims as well as "victims themselves".

Ms Dillon says "lived experience, in any of these issues, has to be what guides us".

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She adds that it's about "trying to prevent" domestic abuse as well as education - "educating ourselves, educating those around us and educating our young people as to what a healthy relationship looks like, and what an unhealthy relationship looks like".

Ms Dillon adds, that coercive abuse is "equally as bad" as physical abuse.

She says "in the round, this is a good bill," adding that she will "be supporting most of what's in it, but we will have to scrutinise what’s in it".

Deputy speaker Roy Beggs gets things going after the beak.

He calls on Paul Givan to continue his comments.

The DUP MLA makes particular reference to the effects of domestic abuse on children and that it can result in abuse being replicated through the generations.

Mr Givan welcomes aspects of the bill designed to prevent the perpetrator using the justice system to further abuse the victim.

For example, it would prevent cross-examination in court of the victim by persons accused of abusing them.

He says the committee will want to undertake "robust detailed scrutiny" and to heart the views of victims.

Mr Givan says he hopes the legislation can be put in place "by the end of this year" and that the committee has agreed to support the bill in principle.

He then makes some comments as an MLA.

Mr Givan then takes the opportunity to make a point about Covid-19 lockdown measures.

He says the price that's being paid "has a very real impact when it comes to the victims of domestic abuse".

"The home has become a prison for many people," Mr Givan says, adding that the lockdown has caused problems for the mental health of some people.

The Lagan Valley MLA compares the situation in the chamber where business continues in a socially-distanced setting with the situation in other buildings:

"There are churches much bigger than this not allowed to open for even solitary individuals to go in to pray."

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The assembly is set to reconvene at 14:00 when MLAs will return to the Domestic Abuse and Family Proceedings Bill.

Until then, we'll going to grab a sandwich and some coffee.

We hope you'll rejoin us in 40 minutes time.

Paul Givan of the DUP is then invited to comment on the bill.

Speaking as chairperson of the Justice Committee, Mr Givan says he welcomes the bill, adding it’s been a “long time coming”.

"Home is where most people feel secure," he says, adding it's a "haven where you can relax with your loved ones".

"If you can't feel safe in your own home, where can you feel safe?"

He says for many, home is a "prison, a living nightmare" and that is caused by "someone that supposedly loves them and that they should be able to trust".

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"It can happen to anybody: young, old, men, women, heterosexual, LGBTQ, middle-class, working-class, in urban settings, rural settings."

He adds that abuse "can ultimately lead tragically to murder taking place".

Mr Givan says "there are figures showing that is taking place in other jurisdictions as well".

"It's important to recognise domestic abuse is not limited to physical abuse only," he says.

The DUP MLA is then interrupted by the principal deputy speaker who adjourns the meeting for lunch and advises that the member will be invited to continue his comments when the session reconvenes at 14:00.

Mrs Long says she is "not seeking to criminalise normal parental behaviour such as a removal of child's privileges as part of their discipline".

She also says she doesn't intend to legislate where legislation already exists.

The minister says her bill clearly defines what is abusive behaviour is:

"Abusive behaviour by an offender includes behaviour that is physically or is sexually violent, threatening or has a range of impacts on an individual - this includes making the victim feel subordinate, isolated, controlled, where their freedom of movement or action is restricted."

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Mrs Long says the definitions of abuse "are deliberately broad".

Referring to a recent police TV campaign on the subject, she says "the victim is made to feel like they are walking on eggshells".

The minister outlines how the offence will be dealt with in the courts and sets out the proposed maximum sentences.

This would be 12 months imprisonment in a magistrates court and 14 years in crown court.

Mrs Long says responses to a 2016 public consultation about coercive control being recognised as a specific offence suggested it would signal that such behaviour "would not be tolerated in society".

She says the "bill sets out in some detail what abusive behaviour is".

In relation to a domestic abuse commissioner, Mrs Long says she "remains to be convinced for the need for this".

She adds it's "unclear what additionality a commissioner would bring" and says that in general, commissioners can "cost in the region of £1m".

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She adds that such money could be "better invested in other services" such as behavioural change - but says she is "listening carefully to representations in that regard".

The minister says the offence is subject to two conditions: that a reasonable person would consider such behaviour likely to cause harm; the accused either intended to cause harm or was reckless.

Naomi Long says the need for new domestic abuse legislation has become even more evident during the coronavirus crisis.

However, she says the bill is "part of a strategic and long-term approach".

Mrs Long people refers to people from right across Northern Ireland who wake up "fearful in their own homes" and sometimes "fearful for their own lives".

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She says a number of survivors of domestic abuse have approached her to ask that "psychologically, financially and emotionally harmful behaviour is criminalised".

The minister says that while the conventional view of domestic abuse is of a female victim and a physically stronger male perpetrator we should remember that "anyone can be a victim of domestic abuse"

The minister says that psychological abuse "may be a precursor to violence or an end in itself".

The assembly is currently debating legislation which seeks to strengthen NI's domestic abuse laws.

If passed, convictions for the most serious domestic abuse offences will carry a penalty of up to 14 years in jail.

The legislation will also make a form of bullying, known as coercive control, an offence in NI for the first time., external

It has been a crime in England and Wales since 2015, but in Northern Ireland the legislation fell when the assembly collapsed in January 2017.

Police say they have received an increase in reports of domestic abuse since said Covid-19 restrictions were imposed last month.

Read more here.

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The clerk announces that 83 members voted, including those by proxy - with 30 in favour and 53 against.

Amendment 13 falls.

Amendment 14 is not moved by Mr Carroll.

The principal deputy speaker moves to the next item of business and invites the Minister for Justice Naomi Long to outline the Domestic Abuse and Family Proceedings Bill.

Deputy Principal Speaker Christopher Stalford then moves the house to vote on the amendments.

"I hope the house will be kind with me," he says.

"I have never went through a list of 14 amendments before since taking up this appointment," adding, "if we’re all nice to each other we might get through the other side of it".

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Amendments one to 12 do not pass on oral vote.

However the house divides to vote on amendment 13.

Mr Stalford reminds MLAs to adhere to social distancing measures when voting.

Gerry Carroll winds the argument for his amendments, addressing the points made by other members during the debate.

He says "there isn't enough legalisation in place across the board that supports renters".

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Mr Carroll replies to the criticism made by Sinn Féin's Sinéad Ennis by asking why she and her party do not support amendments that "sanctions the rights for tenants".

He also replies to criticism made by Ms Ennis's party colleague John O'Dowd that the amendments were not legislatively competent.

"I suggest he speaks to the Bills Office who said these amendments were legislatively competent," Mr Carroll says

The communities Mminister then responds to the debate.

Deirdre Hargey says "in general, I would ask members to reject these amendments".

"I'm sure the member who has proposed them has done so in a good spirit, but they either have no effect or would risk reducing the protections to tenants".

"This isn't your normal private tenancies bill," she says adding she would like to bring forward a more comprehensive bill but "we’re not in normal times".

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"I'm trying to respond to that global health emergency in as quickly a way as possible," she adds.

The minister says the members must "ensure we aren't delaying these protections being brought in."

"Any undue delay means people are not being protected."

She says the extension period of 12 weeks which is in the draft is proportionate.

Ms Hargey says she is trying "to protect the most vulnerable at this time" in order to ensure "that no one will be left homeless during this pandemic".

"Any delay could push this back," she says.

Sinn Féin's John O'Dowd shares his party colleagues' view of Gerry Carroll's amendments.

"I am going to say Mr Carroll is being political, and that's not a criticism - he's a politician," he says.

Mr O'Dowd says the difficulty with the amendments is that "many of them are unworkable, many of them are unnecessary".

He says he thinks the bill is necessary and carries out the function that is required.

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Rachel Woods of the Green Party says she wants to express her support for the bill and for amendment 13, which would require any change to the regulations to be subject to a vote in the assembly.

She says NI is highly dependant on the private rented sector in the light of a lack of new development in the social housing sector.

She says the "good intentions" of the amendments are clear but there are impracticalities.

The UUP's Robbie Butler says the bill drafted by the department is "not perfect but proportionate".

He says "across the board the majority of landlords and tenants are good".

Mr Butler also refers to the "number of support packages to help those affected by the pandemic" which have been launched by the government.

He then "call on landlords to work with tenants and to support each other during this period".

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Kellie Armstrong of the Alliance Party says the amendments are not brought forward "for political purpose but with the best will".

She then outlines "one way people can lose their home is if their landlord is bankrupted".

She adds that she cannot support the extension notice period of a year which Mr Carroll is seeking but says she "can support clause 13".

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Sinéad Ennis of Sinn Féin is unimpressed by Gerry Carroll's proposals.

"Let's just call a spade a spade, what we have here in these amendments is unnecessary time wasting," she says.

"We've all become familiar with Publicity Before People's self-aggrandising form of politics," she continues.

She says that to delay the bill will put lives in danger.

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The SDLP's Mark Durkan says he has approached the legislation with an open mind and refers to the particular hardships faced by students.

He says that following discussions with interested groups he has come to recognise "the need for speed" in bringing forward the bill.

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Paula Bradley speaks as a member of the DUP and not as a member of the Communities Committee.

She says this is because the committee has "not had time to scrutinise" the amendments which have been proposed.

Ms Bradley say that is down to the "times we're living in".

She says that legislation being brought forward "has to be proportional" and adds that "as it stands, it is proportional".

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She raises concerns about delays to the legislation as she says "there are a lot of people who are going through a lot of financial uncertainty at this time".

"There are many good landlords out there," she says, "many who are helping their tenants and have good relationships".

But she adds, "I know there are many bad landlords as well".

Principal Deputy Speaker Christopher Stalford then suspends the session in order to allow MLAs to observe a minute's silence at 11:00.

The tribute is being held across the UK to commemorate key workers who have died with coronavirus.

The meeting will resume in the chamber at 11:05.

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