Debate contribution: Baby Loss Certificate Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026
Debate contribution by Miss Deirdre Hargey on .
- MLA
- Miss Deirdre Hargey
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 26 May 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Executive Committee Business
- Heading
- Baby Loss Certificate Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5582486
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I welcome the progression of the regulations. Back in early 2024, when these institutions got back up and running, the then Finance Minister, Caoimhe Archibald, set out her intention to bring forward legislation and, importantly, create a certificate scheme. I am delighted that, following the legislation that the current Finance Minister, John O'Dowd, introduced in 2025, we now have the regulations that will see that happen. As other Members have mentioned, that was on the back of a motion in the Chamber and engagement with families and lobby organisations out there that are impacted on by the issue. I want to say thanks to them —.
106 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).
- 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 | 0.02 | 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 | 0.22 | No |
| 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 |
|---|---|
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.50 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.46 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.01 |
| Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits | 0.01 |
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.01 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:40 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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