A bid to raise the age of criminal responsibility in Northern Ireland has been blocked from an immediate vote after unionist parties deployed a petition of concern, pushing a decision back to June 29.

The amendment, tabled by Alliance MLA Sian Mulholland as part of her party’s Justice Bill, would lift the minimum age of criminal culpability from 10 to 14. Exceptions for murder, manslaughter and rape would set the threshold at 12. Sinn Fein and the SDLP support the change.

The Democratic Unionist Party initiated the petition, which was signed by Traditional Unionist Voice MLA Timothy Gaston and four Ulster Unionist Party members: leader Jon Burrows, Diane Armstrong, Alan Chambers and Robbie Butler. The petition requires 30 signatures and mandates that a vote can pass only if a majority of both unionist and nationalist MLAs are in favour.

During Monday night’s debate, SDLP MLA Matthew O’Toole described the petition’s use as a disgrace, arguing the issue had nothing to do with the constitutional or identity matters the mechanism was designed for. DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley noted that other parties had used the petition when it suited them. Education Minister Paul Givan of the DUP defended the move, stating it aimed to maintain cross-community consensus. He referenced a previous petition signed by the SDLP regarding sanctions against Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly.

The debate continued the following evening with Sinn Fein challenging Mr Givan over his opposition to raising the age while holding the education portfolio. Mr Givan responded by pointing to a former Sinn Fein education minister he described as a self-confessed IRA commander and said the party lacked integrity on children’s rights.

UUP leader Jon Burrows faced questions from Alliance MLA Eoin Tennyson, who suggested a deal had been struck with the DUP. Mr Burrows denied any electoral pacts or discussions with DUP leader Gavin Robinson, saying his decision was based on public safety principles. He said he was open to unionist cooperation but his ambition was for the UUP to become the largest unionist party. Some UUP MLAs did not sign the petition: Mike Nesbitt had a conscience objection, Steve Aiken was chairing the debate, and John Stewart was absent.

Separately, DUP MP Gavin Robinson addressed the controversy at the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee in Westminster. He said his party was not opposed to institutional reform but believed changes should not undermine the fundamentals of the Belfast Agreement. He argued that for two decades unionists had been told not to take decisions detrimental to a minority and that those protections should remain even when unionists formed the minority. Mr Robinson said there was a majoritarian approach that sought to shut down unionist voices and noted that in the past when unionists were in the majority they had to compromise, but now similar standards were not being applied. He called for reform to focus on internal attitudes and willingness to work together.