Three requests have been received to address the Council in relation to Motions which will be considered later on the agenda:
The first is from Ms Chelsea Laverty regarding the motion on a Mental Health Awareness and Support Campaign;
The second is from Ms Cathy Austin in relation to the motion on Implementation of Care Partner Arrangements; and
The third is from Ms Marnie Holborrow, Campaign All-IreNHS, regarding the motion on the Campaign for All-Ireland Health Service
Minutes:
Suicide Awareness and Mental Health Initiative
The Chief Executive informed the Council that a request had been received from Ms. C. Laverty and Mr. S. Paul, Suicide Awareness and Mental Health Initiative, to address the Council in advance of Councillor Pankhurst’s motion on a Mental Health Awareness and Support Campaign.
The Council approved the request and Ms. Laverty, together with Mr. Paul, were welcomed to the meeting.
Ms. Laverty explained the background to the Mental Health Awareness and Support Campaign which had been set up to bring a message of hope and a positive outlook for those which needed help. She suggested that an accessible Mental Health Strategy at a Community Level would be beneficial for those in need, and collaboration across the appropriate sectors to discuss the formation of a response system to respond to those in need of urgent and direct help.
Mr. Paul advised that, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the situation had deteriorated, in that it had become increasingly difficult for support groups to meet face to face. He explained that therapies were unable to be delivered due to the restrictions and they were unable to use the Council building in which they normally met as it also had restricted its opening hours. He advised that access to services were needed as soon as possible.
The representatives were thanked by the Lord Mayor.
The Council noted the information which had been provided.
Implementation of Care Partner Arrangements
The Council was informed that a request had been received from Ms. C. Austin and Mr. D. Fee, to address the Council in advance of Councillor McAteer’s motion on Implementation of Care Partner Arrangements.
The Council approved the request and Ms. Austin and Mr. Fee were welcomed to the meeting.
Ms. Austin described her families situation over the recent months of her Mother’s suffering from Alzheimer’s disease in a Nursing Home and the difficulties they have experienced in not being able to assist in the care of her Mother over lockdown. Ms. Austin praised the Care staff and highlighted the concerns of further decline in her Mother’s health if she was not able to visit and help her.
She explained how the Care Partner system could work and advised that it was already being operated in various countries. She welcomed the establishment of the designation of relatives or close friends as “Care Partners” by the Department of Health on 23rd September.
Mr. Fee described his situation in caring for his wife with dementia, who was also in a Nursing Home. He explained that he used to visit every day to assist with her care but since the Pandemic, he had been unable to.
He suggested that the Council endorse the idea and highlighted that implementing the arrangements as quickly as possible was very important.
Ms. Austin, together with Mr. Fee were thanked by the Lord Mayor.
The Council noted the information which had been provided and that it would have an opportunity to discuss the issue later in the meeting.
Campaign for All-Ireland Health Service
The Chief Executive informed the Council that a request had been received from Ms. M. Holborrow, to address the Council in advance of the motion on the Campaign for All-Ireland Health Service being proposed by Councillor Ferguson
The Council acceded to the request and Ms. Holborrow was welcomed to the meeting.
Ms. Holborrow explained the urgency in the campaign’s call for an All-Ireland National Health Service due to insufficient hospital bed capacity, too few nurses and healthcare workers, poor regulation in care homes and two separate health services on an island of just 6.6 million inhabitants. She highlighted that ICU beds have come under pressure both sides of the border.
She suggested that the pandemic had brought sharply into focus the need for radical change. She advised that there was a huge backlog of people waiting for non-Covid treatments and the impact of such delays.
She highlighted that profit should not drive healthcare and it should be a basic social right that everyone was entitled to and described the importance of cross-border collaboration in healthcare. She explained that Covid had changed everything for public health policy and healthcare provision and the campaign for an All-Ireland NHS was lobbying to develop existing cross-border cooperation into a unified public health service across this island.
The Lord Mayor thanked Ms. Holborrow for her presentation.
The Council noted the information which had been provided and that it would have an opportunity to discuss the issue later in the meeting.
Closure of Ulster Bank
The Chief Executive advised that a late request had been received from Mr. J.O’Connell, and Mr. B. McDowell, Financial Services Union, to address the Council in advance of the motion on the Closure of Ulster Bank being proposed by Councillor Heading
The Council acceded to the request and Mr. O’Connell was welcomed to the meeting.
Mr. O’Connell explained that, in early October, a newspaper report signalled that Nat West would be undertaking a Strategic Review of its Business, and the possibility of the closure of Ulster Bank in the Republic of Ireland. He advised that this news had shocked the Ulster Bank employees, as the knock on effect would impact the 600 jobs situated in Belfast as they provided back office services ranging across the corporate sector.
He highlighted that the staff had maintained services and systems throughout the pandemic. He confirmed that they sought commitment to Ulster Bank from Nat West and suggested that they had questions regarding the Strategic Review, such as its Terms of Reference, a timeline, who was carrying it out, and its impact on concerned parties.
The Lord Mayor thanked the representatives for the presentation.
The Council noted the information which had been provided and that it would have an opportunity to discuss the issue later in the meeting.