Opinion

Embarrassing time for Poots

IN his time as health minister, Edwin Poots has had to get used to battling problems on a number of fronts.

But even by the frequently challenging standards of this notoriously difficult job, the past couple of weeks have been especially testing, exposing serious concerns over his department's actions.

Mr Justice Treacy's ruling that the ban on gay men giving blood in Northern Ireland was irrational was a significant blow to the minister.

This case, which was defended at considerable cost to the public purse, has left Mr Poots open to the charge that his policy was motivated by religious beliefs rather than scientific evidence.

As well as lambasting his original decision, the judge also found that Mr Poots had breached the Stormont ministerial code by not taking the matter to the executive.

As if this was not embarrassing enough, Mr Poots then had to contend with a devastating Public Accounts Committee report on the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, which again laid bare disturbing issues within the senior levels of the organisation.

This body answers to the Department of Health which admitted that oversight was deficient, something of an under-statement given the alarming problems which have been identified.

Mr Poots has also come in for criticism over draft abortion guidelines, which a leading obstetrician said had caused a "mood of fear" among medical staff.

It is plainly deeply unsatisfactory for any guidance relating to the possibility of criminal prosecution to speak of "grey areas" as this document does.

Director of Public Prosecutions Barra McGrory yesterday provided some clarity on one of the points of concern and Mr Poots has said he will bring revised guidelines before the executive.

However, the public is entitled to know what legal advice was provided to the minister before he made his decisions on both gay men giving blood and the draft abortion guidelines.

Mr Poots needs to be totally transparent about these matters of public concern.