Sinn Féin MLA Colm Gildernew has said the DUP’s boycott of the Assembly is holding up moves to extend a system enabling doctors to electronically certify deaths. 

The party’s health spokesperson said: 

“A temporary change in the law that enables doctors to electronically certify deaths will expire in three weeks because of the DUP’s refusal to form an Executive. 

“This could result in funerals being delayed which will add stress to grieving families and pile the pressure on already stretched doctors. 

“I back calls from the National Undertakers Association for this system to be extended as it has made a huge difference and helped avoid a backlog of physical forms needing to be filled out by a doctor. 

“The easiest way to extend this system is forming an Executive today. The DUP should get back to work and end this cruel boycott which clearly will only add more stress to already grieving families.”