On the 22nd of February, the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill will pass through all stages in the House of Commons. The bill proposes to extend the period for Executive formation in Northern Ireland by an additional year to 18 January 2024. This will provide more time for the Northern Ireland Parties to focus on restoring devolved institutions in the region and also give the UK-EU negotiations more space to find solutions to the problems caused by the NI Protocol.
Apart from extending the period for the constitution of the executive, the Bill also allows for making rules regarding rules for organ donation in the absence of a devolved government. The amendment was made following cross-party support for the plight of Daithie McGabon, a six-year-old Belfast boy awaiting a heart transplant. The UK Government has taken the extraordinary step of bringing amendments to the Bill to further the Law of Daithi to introduce an ‘opt-out’ organ donation system, bringing NI in line with the rest of the UK. The move was supported by NI parties during its initial stages in the NI Assembly.
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Rt Hon Chris Heaton-Harris, has expressed his commitment to restoring Stormont and ensuring that the people of Northern Ireland have a fully functioning devolved government working on important issues affecting them. He emphasized that this remains his top priority.
He added An ‘opt-out’ organ donation system would also be established if the Bill passed. While this extraordinary intervention by the government is welcome and important, I am disappointed that the decision was not taken by locally elected decision-makers in the NI Assembly I will continue to do everything I can to support the parties to come together as soon as possible in the interest of the parties that elected him.
The Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill is an important step towards restoring devolved institutions in Northern Ireland and providing more time for UK-EU negotiations to find solutions to the problems caused by the NI Protocol. The implementation of an ‘opt-out’ organ donation system is also a crucial move that will benefit the people of Northern Ireland. As the bill moves through all stages in the House of Commons, it is hoped that it will receive the necessary support to become law and help pave the way for a brighter future for Northern Ireland.
Source: Gov[Dot]UK
