Alliance reps 'given free rein to criticise expert advice' amid silence from Naomi Long's party on CMO's view

First minister Michelle O’Neill, who signed off a ban on the private sector prescribing the drugs, said this week that the temporary measure was “based on clear and unequivocal advice from the chief medical officer pending review”.

But the Alliance Party will not say if it accepts the advice from Northern Ireland’s top health official – and the TUV have claimed that the leadership is “embarrassed” by claims from party representatives that the Executive, of which Naomi Long and Andrew Muir are a part, has put lives at risk by banning puberty blockers.

The precise nature of the advice offered by Sir Michael McBride is unclear, but it is understood it was supportive of the ban.

Alliance did not have a vote on the matter, which was brought through an urgent procedure – however it is likely to have to make its mind up if and when the issue comes before the Executive in future.

TUV vice chairman Allister Kyle says there is “an urgent need for the Alliance Party to come clean on where it stands on the clear and unambiguous medical advice on dangerous, life altering drugs being given to vulnerable children”.

The Causeway councillor added that with the Alliance Lord Mayor of Belfast “openly associating himself with the small protest organised by zealots against the ban” on Tuesday night, “it is clear that the party is at best ambiguous when it comes to this issue”.

“Throughout the Covid pandemic Alliance excelled at condescending lectures about the importance of ‘following the science’ (except of course when their leader wanted to make sure she didn’t miss a photo opportunity in Dublin). Now, it seems, Alliance representatives have free rein to criticise the advice of experts.

“I suspect that Mrs Long and others in the party leadership are well aware of the fact that sensible people support the ban on puberty blockers and are embarrassed by the position” of some of some Alliance representatives, he said.

“However, it is worth remembering that Alliance hailed the elevation of Councillor Murray to the position of Lord Mayor of Belfast. Does the leader support his ludicrous claim that the Executive of which she is a part has put lives at risk by banning puberty blockers?”

Alliance has avoided a series of questions from the News Letter on the issue.

For almost a week the News Letter has been asking the party questions about its stance on the puberty blockers ban.

Here are the questions Alliance haven’t answered:

– Does Alliance support the decision of the health minister Mike Nesbitt to extend the temporary ban on puberty blockers to Northern Ireland?

– While this did not go to a vote of the whole Executive, if it had, would Alliance minsters have opposed it?

– The News Letter understands that neither of Alliance's two executive ministers registered any opposition to the health minister's proposal to temporarily ban puberty blockers when it passed the Executive through an urgent procedure. While neither minister had an opportunity to block the ban - does the lack of any registered opposition highlight their acceptance of the measure?

– Does the Alliance Party accept the recent medical advice of the Chief Medical Officer on puberty blockers, yes or no?

Puberty blockers – which until recently had been prescribed to children questioning their gender – pause the natural physical changes which happen to children during puberty, such as breast development in girls or facial hair in boys, leaving their physical development suspended.

The independent Cass Review found that there was limited evidence about their effectiveness in dealing with gender dysphoria – and there are potential risks to children’s neurocognitive development, psychosexual development and longer-term bone health.

The Conservative government had introduced a ban on the private prescription of the drugs in Great Britain, prompting some trans activists to suggest using Northern Ireland as a back door for the drugs. Health minister Mike Nesbitt proposed extending that temporary ban to Northern Ireland, and received support from the Sinn Fein and DUP first ministers.

The DUP have welcomed Sinn Fein’s “u-turn” on the issue, and Michelle O’Neill has stuck by the party’s position despite a protest outside its Dublin office and repeated criticism from small left wing parties in Northern Ireland including the Green Party and People Before Profit.

In a statement given to the journalist Amanda Ferguson, which she posted on X, an Alliance Party spokesperson said: “Alliance is committed to ensuring support is available for trans and non-binary people in our community, and to reforming and improving access to gender identity healthcare.

“The Cass Review, whilst being a detailed and complex piece of work requiring thoughtful consideration, did not review clinical services or pathways provided in Northern Ireland. Therefore, not all the recommendations may be applicable to services here. We await the outcome of the Gender Identity Service Pathway Review, commissioned by the Department of Health to review local services, which we anticipate will be better placed to inform future service provision. We also await the British Medical Association’s own review.

"Our focus now ought to be further research and the establishment of clinical trials.

“Clinical decisions around individual care pathways should not be made by politicians in any field of medicine. These decisions should always be made carefully, on the basis of the evidence available, by the clinicians responsible for providing such healthcare in line with their professional guidelines.

"The well-being of young people and their families will remain at the heart of our decision-making when we discuss this issue."