Debate contribution: Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Bill: Final Stage
Debate contribution by Miss Jemma Dolan on .
- MLA
- Miss Jemma Dolan
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 2 December 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Executive Committee Business
- Heading
- Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Bill: Final Stage
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5271836
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I am delighted to be able to speak in the Final Stage debate of the Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Bill. Being the first jurisdiction on these islands to introduce legislation that makes provision for a baby loss certificate scheme is an example of the positive change that we can make when we work in partnership, and I am proud to have played my small part in that through the Finance Committee. The legislation has compassion and equality at its core, helping to reduce stress for those who have suffered a bereavement by enabling the electronic transfer of documents, providing same-sex female couples with the same rights as others, and ensuring formal recognition for parents who have lost a baby prior to 24 weeks. Throughout the development of the Bill, we heard directly from parents who had suffered a heartbreaking loss, and their voices will continue to play a crucial role in the development of the regulations that will provide for the baby loss certificate scheme. I again acknowledge those parents who shared their stories with us and their role in shaping the legislation. I welcome a commitment from the Finance Minister to continue to engage with that group in shaping the regulations. Working together, we have been able to introduce compassionate legislation whilst modernising the registration process for deaths. That will have a real impact on people as they navigate extremely challenging times. I once again congratulate the Minister on bringing it forward.
244 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: 0.02 (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).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- Subject area: Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues.
- 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 | 0.04 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.01 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.02 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.01 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.55 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.02 | 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 |
|---|---|
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.89 |
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.11 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.00 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 14:06 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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