Debate contribution: Silverbirch Medical Practice, Bangor.

Debate contribution by Mr Mike Nesbitt on 5 May 2026.

MLA: Mr Mike Nesbitt
Party at the time: Ulster Unionist Party
Date: 5 May 2026
Type: Debate contribution (made as a minister)
Business: Oral Answers to Questions
Heading: Silverbirch Medical Practice, Bangor.
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5524757

Text

On a point of order, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I believe that Mr Gaston made a point of order earlier in which he questioned whether I had misled the House with regard to dental amalgam. Hansard records that, on Tuesday 28 April, Mr Gaston said:
"We have changes relating to dental amalgam driven by EU alignment rules that will create further complexity in supply and cost. That is happening here in Northern Ireland in a way that does not apply across the rest of our United Kingdom."
He went on to say:
"That is because of the Irish Sea border". — [Official Report (Hansard), 28 April 2026, p59, col 1].
Principal Deputy Speaker, the dental amalgam changes that were discussed in that debate arise from an international meeting held in November 2025 called a Minamata Convention conference of parties. It agreed to set 2034 as the global date for phasing out dental amalgam, and that is an international commitment that applies UK-wide. It is not a product of the Irish Sea border, as the Member claimed. I am happy to put his record straight.

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

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