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Belfast Telegraph
4 days ago
- Health
- Belfast Telegraph
Calls to act on all-island cancer services after death of NI woman forced to travel to London for care available in Dublin
Catherine Sherry, who passed away earlier this year, faced 'repeated air travel while she was severely immuno-suppressed', which weakened the 42-year-old 'and left her unable to fight the infection which led to her death', councillors heard. The death was behind a motion at Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) this week amid ongoing anger over how the mum-of-three had to travel to London for CAR-T cell treatment despite it being available in Dublin. The council approved the motion linking air travel to London to the toll on Mrs Sherry's health, while an option for a short drive from home to a Dublin hospital might have saved her. 'She passed away far from home and far from her children' Bringing forward the motion on behalf of the Sherry family, SDLP representative Killian Feehan said: 'I must commend the incredible strength and bravery of Fergal Sherry and he and Catherine's sons, who have been campaigning for CAR-T cell treatment to be made available to [Northern Ireland] patients at St James's Hospital in Dublin. 'I can't begin to imagine how difficult it was to lose their wife and mother in such circumstances on May 12, 2025. Catherine's treatment was working, but the repeated air travel while she was severely immuno-suppressed weakened Catherine and left her unable to fight the infection which led to her death. She passed away far from home and far from her children. 'And here is the devastating truth: the treatment that Catherine needed was just 60 miles down the road in Dublin, but she wasn't able to access it. Why? 'Because there is still no agreement between the Department of Health (DoH) in the North and their counterpart in Dublin to allow Northern Ireland patients to access this specialist therapy in the Republic, despite it being routinely delivered in St James's Hospital. 'This is not a capacity or funding issue, it is quite simply a political failure. No mother should have to leave her children behind to fight for her life in another country. 'No family should get a call to say 'She is going to die', when the system itself has failed to give her the best fighting chance close to home.' Mrs Sherry passed away at King's College Hospital, London, while receiving CAR-T treatment, a personalised form of immuno-therapy that reprogrammes a patient's own immune cells to fight cancer. News Catch Up - Thursday 7th August Catherine's aunts Ann and Marie, who looked after the Sherry children whilst Catherine travelled to London for therapy, attended the NMDDC chamber in support of the motion. The Sherry family has since led a campaign to change current NHS policy, with claims the emotional and physical toll of having to travel long distances for care resulted in Mrs Sherry's untimely death. Councillor Feehan added: 'Nobody should have to go through the experience of the Sherry family, particularly when this treatment is available so close to home. 'We have seen the success of cross-border cancer services in the past, allowing patients to access care closer to home and within reach of their families. I believe we need to see the same approach with CAR-T cell therapy. 'We commend Fergal and his sons, who are now advocating for the treatment to be made available to other cancer patients from the North in Dublin, and acknowledge the Department of Health has an existing Memorandum of Understanding on all-island cancer services signed following the Good Friday Agreement. 'We further recognise that CAR-T therapy will not be available in Northern Ireland until 2031 at the earliest. The SDLP is urging Health Minister Mike Nesbitt and Irish Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill to begin urgent negotiations to make the changes necessary so that patients can access this treatment in Ireland, without having to travel long distances, and with the support of their family around them. 'We can all make a collective call on government to act now on an all-island path for CAR-T therapy. The infrastructure exists, the expertise exists, the only thing that is missing is political will.'
Belfast Telegraph
19-06-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Council's controversial £17m plan for new Newry HQ voted through by fewer than half of planning committee members
Downpatrick Alliance councillor Cadogan Enright walked out of the meeting following legal advice provided in confidential session away from public view saying: 'I urge you all to do the same.' Out of the 12 councillors on the committee, only six turned up for the noon decision. When put to a vote four members (three Sinn Fein and one SDLP) voted in favour of the application, one was against (DUP) and one abstained (SDLP). Proposing the recommendation, Slieve Gullion councillor Declan Murphy said: 'We've heard the arguments for and against this quite a number of times, so whatever decision we make it is based on a lot of scrutiny and means our decision will be robust. 'I am satisfied that the recommendation by the planners for approval and we should accept that recommendation. 'There will be concerns – whether they be from Protestant, Catholic or Dissenter – they all have to be taken into consideration, and I think from the evidence put forward that has been done.' The proposal was seconded by Newry Sinn Fein councillor Cathal King with Mournes DUP councillor Glyn Hanna calling for a recorded vote. The application first lodged in 2019 is set to be the new headquarters for Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) and its 215 staff. However, there will only be 162 desks provided as the council has alluded to its 'hybrid working conditions' for employees. The Newry city civic centre has been dogged by controversy with more than 2,500 parishioners at the nearby Cathedral signing a petition opposing the building amid claims it will leave them no where to park during Mass. NMDDC has previously referred to a 2023 parking survey of the Abbey Way site and has amended its HQ plans to provide 138 car park spaces at the site, which it says is above the maximum occupancy rates of mass-goers recorded. A predetermination hearing had been held earlier in the morning from 10am to listen to the final arguments from all parties concerned. A council officer presenting the recommendation told the chamber, 'the case officer's report details and considers all the issues'. In concluding comments, both the applicant, NMDDC, and the objectors, Newry Parish Cathedral, continued to call out each other's view of facts and opinions on the processes carried out on the long running application.
Belfast Telegraph
19-06-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
£30m towards Mournes gondola could be lost as plans ‘start from scratch'
And it now appears that a council plan to move the so-called gondolas from Newcastle to Rostrevor may have to 'start from scratch' despite claims councillors were told the project would only need to be 'modified'. Tourism NI is a key stakeholder in the £44m Gateway Project, with Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) scrambling to hold onto £30m in Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) money after the plan to site the gondola in Newcastle was scrapped. The council revealed in May it is working to relocate the Mourne Mountain Gateway project on the other side of the Mournes in the village of Rostrevor. The move came after landowners the National Trust withdrew co-operation from the Newcastle project. The council is understood to be keen to retain the BRCD money by ensuring the project goes ahead, albeit in another location. But concerns have now been raised that the planned relocation may not be straightforward. A spokesperson for Tourism NI said: 'Tourism NI is not in receipt of an alternative proposal to the Mourne Mountain Gateway Project (MMGP) at this time. 'Newry Mourne and Down District Council is aware that any alternative proposal to the Mourne Mountain Gateway project will be considered a new project and will require a new outline business case (OBC) to be submitted as part of the City and Growth Deals process.' Tourism NI's role is that of Investment Decision Maker (IDM) on behalf of the Department for the Economy (DfE) for tourism proposals within the City and Growth Deals Programme. The council is relying on keeping £30m from the Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) which was awarded to the Mourne Gateway project. However, landowners the National Trust pulled out of the project in May over environmental concerns — leaving the local authority organising emergency meetings to present a new proposal to BRCD to retain the cash. NMDDC was asked whether it had outlined a new business case to its stakeholders for the Rostrevor plan at Kilbroney park. A spokesperson said: 'Newry, Mourne and Down District Council issued a statement on 28 May to the media in relation to this matter, we continue to work through the details with our partners and are not in position to provide any further comment at this time.' However, it has now been alleged that the local authority had advised NMDDC councillors that the Kilbroney proposal could be partly transferred from the Mourne Gateway project. Mournes Alliance councillor Jill Truesdale said: 'At every point in the progression of this project Alliance has been calling for more openness and transparency. 'That we're seeing such issues persist even at this point is not reassuring.'
Belfast Telegraph
04-06-2025
- General
- Belfast Telegraph
Environmental report which may have caused collapse of Mourne gondola project was hidden from public
An environmental report which potentially led to the collapse of the Mourne Gateway cable car project was the subject of a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) has finally confirmed the confidential status of the report to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) a month after a media query.
Belfast Telegraph
03-06-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
National Trust had ‘significant' concerns about £44m Mournes cable car project after seeing environmental report being hidden from public by council using NDAs
An environmental report which potentially led to the collapse of the Mourne Gateway cable car project was the subject of a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) has finally confirmed the confidential status of the report to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) a month after a media query.
