Having seen that it was so-called National HIV Testing week via Facebook, I thought I would investigate this a little more and found that it is in fact European HIV testing week. Of course, using the European dimension may not attract everyone’s … Continue reading HIV Testing week… the European dimension
On Facebook this morning, I came across a campaign for a National HIV Testing Week. This seems like a very sensible move to me. After all with the NHS reckoning that 1 in 4 people living with HIV in the … Continue reading ‘National’ HIV testing week: where ‘national’ = England
Picture the scene, you are sitting in a restaurant, enjoying a meal either on your own or with friends. You are wearing a ribbon supporting some charity or another, it is noticed by your waiter, it is not one he … Continue reading HIV in the restaurant—what would you do?
Following a complaint about non-inclusion of a link to Northern Ireland sexual health services, Michael tells why Channel 4 has nearly got it right but not quite yet. Continue reading Embarrassing Bodies Risk Checker still not got a link to services in Northern Ireland
With World AIDS Day approaching, Michael asks if there is money in the health department’s kitty for an HIV public information and prevention campaign. “Would that not be a better use than on legal costs?” Continue reading When Poots finishes paying legal costs, can we have money for HIV prevention?
All of us who are living with HIV are concerned at how the reform of the welfare system which has been initiated by HM Government at Westminster is going to affect our lives. For those of us in Northern Ireland … Continue reading Welfare reform: how will it affect me?
Belfast’s Waterfront Hall is set to host a photographic exhibition to mark World Aids Day 2013 and help raise awareness of HIV in Northern Ireland. The exhibition is part of a series of events co-ordinated by Positive Life (Northern Ireland’s only … Continue reading World Aids Day 2013: Exhibition–Images of Otherness in Waterfront Hall
I have just been watching the Channel 4 programme Embarrassing Bodies: Live from the Clinic which has Dr Christian Jessen as one of its presenters. Having been told about a new STI Risk checker which they have developed, I went and … Continue reading Channel 4’s Embarrassing Bodies has an embarrassing problem
With over 7,500 signatures on the petition calling on NI Health Minister Edwin Poots to resign or be removed, it is worth reminding everyone of another way to kick him out – of the Assembly – by registering to vote and then voting for other parties than the DUP. Continue reading Make sure you’re registered to vote and be able to really “Give Poots the Boot!”
In October 2012 the High Court in Northern Ireland ruled that the ban on same-sex couples here adopting children is unlawful. The Court of Appeal upheld this decision in June of this year when the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety’s appeal was dismissed. Today we hear that the DUP Minister of Health, Edwin Poots MLA is appealing this decision to the Supreme Court.
Earlier this week the Rt Hon Peter Robinson MP MLA, First Minister of Northern Ireland wrote an opinion piece for the Belfast Telegraph, it is reproduced helpfully on the DUP website. At the top of that page on their site the DUP say that the First Minister
argues that a peaceful future can only be built on mutual respect, tolerance and an unwavering commitment to the rule of law and the democratic process.”
Well I have news for him, the actions of his Executive colleague suggest that the DUP does not like it when the law says one thing and they want to do the opposite. As John O’Doherty from The Rainbow Project says,
It is not the place of the courts to implement the personal prejudices of Ministers.”
Like the President of NUS–USI, Rebecca Hall, I think that this is disgraceful that the Minister is using public money to fund this action.
Does the Minister not accept the ruling of the High Court as well as that of the Court of Appeal? Does he believe that the Northern Ireland government is above the law? Continue reading “First Minister wants to ‘move Northern Ireland forward’ – pity his colleague in Health department is set to take us backwards”
