Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew has said work should begin today to invest an extra £1 billion to fix the health service if the DUP ends its boycott of the Executive. 

Supporting calls by the BMA and the Royal Colleges for investment in the health service, the party’s health spokesperson said:

“I fully support the call of our doctors, nurses and health workers for an Executive to be formed immediately so that we can start to fix our health service. 

“All parties committed to making the transformation of our health service a priority, but health workers need more than commitments and promises – they want all parties around the table in an Executive meeting and working together to deliver.

“That means investing an extra £1 billion into the health service to hire more doctors and nurses, tackle lengthy waiting lists and continue the transformation of health.

“And it means securing the first multi-year Budget to ensure that much needed transformation can begin.

“Sinn Féin is ready to form an Executive today, to nominate Ministers and work with others to start the important work that people elected us to do last Thursday.

“I would urge the DUP to heed the calls from our health workers and end its boycott of the Assembly and Executive.”