· Gaels Against Genocide - Notice of Motion ‘Mobile Maternity Units for Gaza’
· Northern Ireland Food To Go Association - Christmas Market
· Open Doors UK and Ireland - Notice of Motion ‘Open Doors World Watch 2026’
Minutes:
Gaels Against Genocide – Notice of Motion
‘Mobile Maternity Units for Gaza’
The Lord Mayor advised that a request to address the Council had been received in relation to the notice of motion on the agenda ‘Mobile Maternity Units for Gaza’.
The Council acceded to the request, and the Lord Mayor welcomed to the meeting Mr. Michael Doherty and Mr. Aidan Thornbury of Gaels Against Genocide.
Mr. Doherty highlighted that the United Nations had reported that 94 percent of hospitals within Gaza had been either damaged or destroyed, which had left pregnant women and newborn babies without essential care. He stated that, in response, a fundraising campaign had been established across Ireland in 2024 which had raised funds to enable the construction of three medically approved mobile maternity units in Cairo, Egypt, which would then be transported to Gaza. He advised that, due to the ongoing border restrictions, the Israeli Government had prevented the transport of those mobile maternity units from Cairo to Gaza, which had denied women and newborn babies in Gaza the access to urgent and potentially life-saving care.
Mr. Thornbury concluded by calling on the Council to support the notice of motion on the agenda and put pressure on the Executive, the Irish Government and the UK Government to urge the Israeli Government to allow those mobile maternity units unrestricted entry into Gaza.
The Lord Mayor thanked the deputation for attending and they left the meeting.
Northern Ireland Food To Go Association –
Christmas Market
The Lord Mayor advised that a request to address the Council had been received in relation to the item within the minutes of the City Growth and Regeneration Committee, ‘Christmas Market Expansion Plans’.
The Council acceded to the request, and the Lord Mayor welcomed to the meeting Mr. Michael Henderson, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Food To Go Association.
Mr. Henderson welcomed the potential expansion of the Christmas Market but stated that all effort should be made to ensure that any potential expansion plans focused on providing meaningful opportunities for local traders. He congratulated the Council on the successful delivery of the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann and highlighted that it had demonstrated the appetite and demand for local traders and artisan vendors. He added that the Christmas period was an opportunity to showcase the significant contribution made by local traders to the city’s offering and visitor experience. He outlined some of the challenges which local independent traders had faced during the Christmas period, including costs and lack of opportunities, and called on the Council to prioritise local producers and vendors when considering any potential expansion plans.
The Lord Mayor thanked Mr. Henderson for attending and he left the meeting.
Open Doors UK and Ireland – Notice of Motion
‘Open Doors World Watch 2026’
The Lord Mayor advised that a request to address the Council had been received in relation to the notice of motion on the agenda ‘Open Doors World Watch 2026’.
The Council acceded to the request, and the Lord Mayor welcomed to the meeting Mr. Chris Phillips, Northern Ireland Lead for Open Doors UK and Ireland.
Mr. Phillips informed the Council that Open Doors UK and Ireland had supported persecuted Christians around the world by providing practical aid, advocacy and Christian resources. He advised that each year Open Doors had published a ‘World Watch List’, which ranked the countries where Christians had faced the most extreme persecution. He reported that 388 million Christians worldwide had faced high levels of persecution and discrimination, and that during the most recent reporting period, of the 4,849 Christians which had been killed, 3,490 of those had occurred in Nigeria. He highlighted the attacks faced by Christian communities in Nigeria and need for the UK Government to support and encourage the Nigerian Government to ensure the protection of all vulnerable communities. He added that freedom of religion was a universal right and that people of all faiths and those of no religious belief should be safeguarded. Mr. Phillips concluded by calling on the Council to support the notice of motion on the agenda which would be a significant step to highlight the issue, display solidarity with the residents of Belfast who had family, friends or church connections to those affected, and to urge the UK Government to prioritise the freedom of religion or belief in its foreign policy and diplomatic engagement and press the Nigerian Government to take action to ensure that vulnerable communities are protected and that those responsible for violence are brought to justice.
The Lord Mayor thanked Mr. Phillips for attending and he left the meeting.