Debate contribution: Baby Loss Certificate Scheme
Debate contribution by Mr John O'Dowd on .
- MLA
- Mr John O'Dowd
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 12 October 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Baby Loss Certificate Scheme
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5786087
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Since the baby loss certificate scheme was launched on 22 June 2026, the General Register Office (GRO) has processed and issued nearly 8,300 certificates. As we mark Baby Loss Awareness Week, I want to recognise all those who have experienced the loss of a baby and the families who continue to carry that loss. No certificate can ease their grief. However, the response to the scheme shows that formally recognising a baby's life can make a meaningful difference. That recognition has been made possible by the parents, advocates and organisations who bravely shared their experiences and campaigned for the scheme. I recently had the opportunity to meet the officials who process the applications and issue the certificates. It was an opportunity for me to thank them for the care, compassion and dedication that they bring to that important work every day. I believe that this is one of the most important pieces of legislation delivered during the Assembly mandate. It shows the real difference that we can make to the lives of the people whom we serve when we come together with compassion and a shared sense of purpose. I am proud of what we have delivered: a compassionate scheme that gives parents and families the formal recognition that they deserve.
211 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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