Debate contribution: Public Petition: Children’s Hospice
Debate contribution by Mr Phillip Brett on .
- MLA
- Mr Phillip Brett
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 5 March 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Assembly Business
- Heading
- Public Petition: Children’s Hospice
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4252377
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I rise on behalf of the people not only of North Belfast but across Northern Ireland to highlight the deep concern about the proposed reduction in the vital services at the Northern Ireland Children's Hospice. Although I am extremely proud that the Children's Hospice is in my constituency of North Belfast, its work and impact and the fondness for it are felt far beyond those confines. I know that the House and, indeed, the whole community across Northern Ireland felt deep shock at the proposed reduction in its vital services. The petition that I launched 10 days ago afforded the public — many of whom share my concern that government currently provides only 30% of the direct costs incurred by the Northern Ireland Children's Hospice — an opportunity to express their clear rejection of the proposals. I have been blown away by the support and solidarity that the people of Northern Ireland have shown in the petition. It has secured over 1,500 names in the space of just 10 days. I thank the Finance Minister, who said in the House last week that she would welcome a bid from the Health Minister to fund the Northern Ireland Children's Hospice. I also thank the deputy First Minister for her leadership on the issue. I know that her presence today will make an important contribution as we move forward. I can think of no cause more worthy than the Northern Ireland Children's Hospice, and I thank every person in every community and section of our country who signed the petition. I thank the families and campaigners who brought the issue to the fore, and I thank the staff in our hospices for their daily professionalism as they continue to deliver an amazing service. Just three weeks ago, I made my maiden speech, in which I said that the test for the House would not be simply our return but our ability to deliver for the most vulnerable in our society. I think that I can speak for the whole House when I say that the Northern Ireland Children's Hospice perfectly encapsulates that. This is our opportunity for the House to prove its worth and to stand together to deliver for Northern Ireland. I trust that the petition will be the catalyst that ensures that we deliver the funding model that we all want to see. I call on the Health Minister to bring forward that bid urgently so that the House can deliver for the Northern Ireland Children's Hospice.
417 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.03 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.95).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.03 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.01 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.01 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.95 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.03 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-related subject | 0.62 |
| Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits | 0.34 |
| Another identity-related subject | 0.02 |
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.01 |
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.01 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 09:45 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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