Debate contribution: Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Bill: Final Stage

Debate contribution by Ms Liz Kimmins on 2 December 2025.

MLA

Ms Liz Kimmins

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

2 December 2025

Type

Debate contribution (made as a minister)

Business

Executive Committee Business

Heading

Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Bill: Final Stage

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5271850

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I, too, welcome the passage of what, for me, is significant legislation. This will be a momentous day for the thousands of women across the North who have experienced the devastating loss of a baby at whatever stage of pregnancy. They will finally feel seen and heard, and we have acknowledged and recognised their loss as being as real as any loss in pregnancy. I thank my Sinn Féin colleague Caoimhe Archibald, who instigated the legislation, and the now Finance Minister, John O'Dowd, for bringing it through. We cannot overstate its importance. As others have said today, it is a proper reflection of what we can do in this place. Despite the challenges and the political differences that we may have, we can work together and deliver really important legislation that will have an impact on people's lives. When I proposed the original motion on the issue in April 2024, which asked the Finance Minister to bring forward a baby loss certificate scheme in the North, I started the debate by remembering a little baby who is very precious to me, baby Robyn Purvis, who was sadly born sleeping in April 2023. Her passing and the impact that was felt by her parents and, indeed, the wider family motivated me to look at how we can make a difference for families like Robyn's across the North. I will end my contribution to the debate by remembering baby Robyn and paying tribute to her amazing mummy, Jessica, who asked me what we could do here, because we had seen what happens in other jurisdictions. I feel that the family have ensured that Robyn's legacy will ease the pain and the deep loss felt by many parents and families across all our communities and recognise that loss not just now or in the time ahead but for many years, as others have so eloquently articulated here. I commend the Minister for showing such leadership, the Committee for its engagement and all the organisations that had an input into making and shaping the legislation. I take this moment to remember all those beautiful angels, who will now have a formal place, and everyone who has experienced a loss

365 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

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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