Alliance MLAs Trevor Lunn and Stewart Dickson have said they hope tomorrow’s meeting of the Executive will produce movement on the working group on the issue of terminations in cases of fatal foetal abnormality (FFA).
Speaking ahead of the Executive meeting, the Alliance MLAs said they believed Health Minister Simon Hamilton had delayed long enough details about the group, which had originally been announced in January. Mr Hamilton said at the time it was designed to make recommendations on how the issue of FFA could be addressed.
“The vote on our amendments around FFA was almost a month ago,” said Mr Lunn.
“Before it took place, the DUP announced it would establish a working group on FFA. Still we wait for it to appear. To not even have an idea of its make-up or how it will operate this far on indicates the entire exercise was nothing more than a ploy to get through the election without having to tackle the issue.”
“Tomorrow’s meeting of the Executive is another opportunity for the matter to be prioritised,” added Mr Dickson.
“The only reason any progress has been made on this matter at Executive is because Justice Minister David Ford raised it there, as the DUP did not want it on the agenda. We need progress on it and we need it now, so the promises made to Sarah Ewart and others can be fulfilled.”