I draw to Members' attention a very important issue, on this week, which is Baby Loss Awareness Week, and, obviously, a heart-rending situation for many of our families. One particular angle that I want to address this morning is paediatric pathology; that is, post-mortems on children lost to miscarriage or stillbirth or in the immediate days after birth.

In February 2019, the last of our paediatric pathology consultants retired, leaving no service here. It was stated at the time that, as an interim measure, families would be able to take their children to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool. While that has been something that families have had to avail themselves of, there has been no move to address the situation on a broader basis here in the North. It is estimated that up to 240 families a year could be making that horrendous journey across the water with their child's body.

Last year, I met the children's paediatric cardiology service in Dublin, which the Speaker was involved in instating. It was explained to me that, in order to run a full paediatric pathology service, you need four consultants. That is to allow people time for training, to fill rotas, to allow for leave and to cover emergency care. To run a rota of that extent requires a population of six million people. That will tell us clearly what the problem is and where the solution lies. I raised the issue at the North/South Inter-Parliamentary Association meeting, which some of my colleagues attended. To me, we must look at this as a matter of urgency now on an all-island basis.

One of my neighbours took that very sad journey last year. When she travelled across, she dreaded the thought of whether she would even be allowed to bring her child's body home with her: she did not even know that. At a time when families are at their lowest ebb, we are, essentially, forcing them on to planes if they want to find out what happened.

I will raise the issue with the Health Minister — I raised it repeatedly with the previous Minister of Health — and I will urge him and everyone here to consider how we can move the issue forward and prevent 1,200 — perhaps, approaching 1,500 — of our families having to make that unacceptable journey.