McCarthy says Poots’ position is seriously undermined by legal failures

Alliance Health spokesperson Kieran McCarthy MLA has said that Edwin Poots’ position as Health Minister has been seriously undermined after the Supreme Court rejected his appeal against a High Court ruling which was in favour of allowing civil partners to adopt. This follows the High Court recently ruling that the Minister had acted irrationally to prevent gay men from donating blood in Northern Ireland.

Kieran McCarthy MLA said: “Edwin Poots’ position as Health Minister has been seriously undermined by successive legal failures over adoption by civil partners and the ban on gay men donating blood.

“He has continued to waste public money on his own personal campaigns despite continued failures in the court.

“The Minister must do what is right and urgently allow civil partners the opportunity to apply to adopt. He must accept this decision and cease any further legal action.

“There are too many children in our care system for us to be deciding who has the right to apply to adopt a child. It should be about whether a couple can provide a loving and safe home for a child.”

ENDS