18 June 2025

SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA has said news that the long-awaited new maternity hospital in Belfast may not open for another 28 months will come as a bitter blow to families across Northern Ireland.

Speaking after the Health Minister confirmed that none of the options presented by the Belfast Trust would see the facility open sooner, Mr McGrath welcomed the Minister’s indication that an independent expert will now be appointed to review the Trust’s approach.

South Down MLA Mr McGrath said:

“It is utterly unacceptable that a state-of-the-art maternity hospital continues to sit unused while expectant mothers are left waiting and wondering. These delays are failures that impact mothers, babies, and families.

“I welcome the Minister’s announcement that an independent expert will be appointed to scrutinise the options put forward by the Belfast Trust. It’s a vital and overdue step and it’s about time we see more scrutiny of trusts when delays of this scale are presented as inevitable.

“We cannot ignore the human impact of this delay. Patients deserve clarity, compassion and a system that works for them, not one that ties itself in knots over paperwork and planning.

“I will continue to push for answers, accountability, and above all, urgency from both the department and the Trust. This building was meant to be a beacon of progress for maternity care in Northern Ireland, instead it has become yet another symbol of dysfunction and delay."