Meeting Details

This meeting will be webcast for live and subsequent broadcast on the Council's You Tube site Live Broadcast Link

That this Council:

• Recognises the urgent need for patients in Northern Ireland requiring CAR-T cell therapy to have timely and compassionate access to treatment closer to home.
• Notes with deep sadness the death of Catherine Sherry, who passed away on 12th May 2025, aged just 42, in King’s College Hospital, London, while receiving CAR-T treatment.
• Commends the courage and commitment of Fergal Sherry and his sons, who are now campaigning for CAR-T treatment to be made available to Northern Ireland patients at St James’s Hospital, Dublin.
• Acknowledges that the Department of Health in the Republic of Ireland has an existing Memorandum of Understanding on All-Island Cancer Services, first signed after the Good Friday Agreement in 1999 and renewed in 2021, which already provides a framework for cross-border cooperation in oncology.
• Further recognises that CAR-T treatment will not be available in Northern Ireland until 2030/31 at the earliest, and that access to St James’s Hospital — where CAR-T services are already established — would allow patients to receive life-saving treatment within driving distance of home, supported by their families.

This Council therefore calls on:
1. The NI Department of Health to immediately begin negotiations with their counterparts in the Republic to secure access to CAR-T therapy at St James’s Hospital for eligible Northern Ireland patients;
2. The Irish Government to support and facilitate this cooperation as a matter of urgency;
3. This Council to write formally to Ministers Mike Nesbitt and Jennifer Carroll MacNeill requesting their intervention;
4. Other councils across Northern Ireland to support this motion and stand in solidarity with Fergal Sherry, his family, and all those who may face similar hardship.

"This Council fully acknowledges the outstanding 14 years President Michael D Higgins has served to his country and the people of this island. Championing equality, inclusion, human rights, and civic ethics — often speaking out on social justice and global solidarity. He notably undertook the first-ever state visit by an Irish President to the UK in April 2014, marking a significant step in post Troubles reconciliation and international diplomacy. 

This Council will write to President Higgins to thank him for his commitment, passion, and duty of service to the people across this island".

Real Living Wage Accreditation

Mid Ulster District Council has supported and implemented the Real Living Wage over a number of years and believes that all workers deserve fair pay that reflects the cost of living and we must ensure this includes casual staff. 

We note that Belfast City Council and Ards and North Down Borough Council are accredited Real Living Wage employers. The Executive has also formally became an accredited Real Living Wage Employer. This means all staff including contract workers receive at least the Real Living Wage, above the British government's statutory minimum wage, bringing real benefits: improved staff morale, better retention, stronger recruitment, and a clear statement of commitment to fairness and workers’ rights.

Real Living Wage employers also strengthens our leadership role in promoting social value through procurement and sets a positive example for businesses and organisations across our district.

Therefore, this Council agrees to:
1. Bring forward a plan in consultation with Advice NI and other key stakeholders to ensure the Real Living Wage is being paid across all staff categories, including casual workers.
2. Work toward accreditation with the Living Wage Foundation and aim to become a fully accredited Real Living Wage employer.
3. Bring a report to Council outlining options, any  costs, and a proposed timeline to deliver any changes and accreditation.
We believe fair pay is a foundation of dignity in work and essential to building a stronger, fairer local economy.

That this Council writes to the Minister for the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to express our serious concerns regarding the increasing number of pollution incidents caused by NI Water in the Dungannon area and across the wider Mid Ulster District.

Council notes with alarm that raw sewage is entering local waterways and ultimately flowing into Lough Neagh, posing significant risks to public health, the environment, biodiversity, and the reputation of this vital natural resource.

Council calls on the Minister to:
• Urgently investigates the scale and causes of these NI Water pollution incidents;
• Ensure robust enforcement action is taken where breaches occur;
• Provide a clear plan and work with the Department for Infrastructure and NI Water to restore public confidence in the protection of our waterways and Lough Neagh.