Member's statement: International Epilepsy Daily and World Encephalitis Day
Member's statement by Mrs Linda Dillon on .
- MLA
- Mrs Linda Dillon
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 9 February 2026
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- International Epilepsy Daily and World Encephalitis Day
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5369020
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I rise today to mark two important awareness days that will occur over the next month. International Epilepsy Day is tomorrow, 10 February, and World Encephalitis Day is on 22 February. Both shine a light on neurological conditions that remain widely misunderstood but have devastating lifelong impacts on individuals and their families. Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain which is uncommon but extremely serious and can be life-threatening. It requires urgent hospital treatment, yet early symptoms can often be mistaken for flu-like illness, confusion, seizures and changes in behaviour or difficulty moving. Most commonly, encephalitis is caused by viruses such as herpes simplex and measles, mumps and rubella, and that highlights the need for the vaccination of our young people. Epilepsy affects thousands of people across our society and is one of the most common serious neurological conditions. It is not just about seizures; it impacts on education, employment, independence, mental health and family life. Many people who live with epilepsy face stigma, poor understanding and real barriers to accessing specialist neurology services, timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment. For children and young people in particular, inconsistent support can have lifelong consequences that affect their development, learning and social inclusion. Early recognition and rapid treatment are crucial in saving lives and reducing long-term brain injury. Too many families have spoken about delayed diagnosis and lack of awareness, even among our healthcare professionals, and that is why World Encephalitis Day and International Epilepsy Day are so important to improve the understanding of the signs and symptoms. Encephalitis can lead to long-term cognitive, emotional and physical challenges. Some people recover well, but others are left with permanent brain injury, personality changes, complex behavioural needs and conditions such as epilepsy. In some cases, viral encephalitis is a known cause of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a severe and life-limiting condition that is a form of epilepsy characterised by multiple seizure types, cognitive impairment and developmental delay. They are not conditions that end when the hospital stay ends; they are lifelong journeys that require consistent neurological care, mental health support, rehabilitation services and support for families and carers. Raising awareness saves lives, but awareness must be matched by properly resourced services, early intervention and long-term support for those living with the consequences of brain injury and epilepsy. Today, I call on the Health Minister to listen to those individuals and their families and invest in neurological services so that no one affected by encephalitis or epilepsy is left to navigate a complex and under-resourced system.
418 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).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.91).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- Subject area: Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits.
- 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 | 0.02 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.01 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.91 | Yes |
| 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 |
|---|---|
| Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits | 0.99 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.01 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 14:31 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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