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MLA Aoife Finnegan is demanding immediate changes to allow cancer patients from Northern Ireland to access life-saving treatment in Dublin rather than being forced to travel to England, following the heartbreaking case of a local woman who died whilst receiving care in London.
Ms Finnegan has written directly to Health Minister Mike Nesbitt calling for urgent engagement with health officials in Dublin to allow northern patients access to the Apheresis stage of CAR T-cell cancer treatment, which is readily available in the capital. The move comes after the tragic experience of Catherine Sherry from Ballymoyer highlighted the devastating impact current arrangements are having on seriously ill patients and their families.
Speaking about the issue, Finnegan explained the current system is causing unnecessary suffering. "At present, cancer patients from the north are being forced to travel to England for the initial five-hour Apheresis procedure often returning the same day despite being gravely ill. This causes enormous physical and emotional strain, exacerbating the serious illness, and in some tragic cases, has deterred patients from completing treatment," she said.
The case of Catherine Sherry has become a focal point in highlighting the problems with existing arrangements. "The heartbreaking and tragic experience of Catherine Sherry, and her family, has brought this issue into sharp focus. Catherine's journeys to England and back, while seriously ill, placed unbearable stress on Catherine and her family. Catherine tragically passed away in London, separated from her loving family, when she should have been receiving this treatment here, in Ireland," Finnegan stated.
The MLA pointed out that there are no clinical barriers preventing the treatment being offered in Dublin, with all samples being processed in the same European laboratory regardless of where the initial procedure takes place. "The reality is that all samples are processed in the same European laboratory, and Dublin hospitals already have the necessary capacity and meet the required clinical standards. There is no reason why these procedures cannot be offered to everyone on the island," she explained.
Finnegan emphasised that Sinn Féin is pushing for greater all-island healthcare collaboration to ensure patients receive compassionate care regardless of where they live. "We need a system that works for people — not one divided by outdated borders or administrative barriers. Access to treatment should be based on need," she argued.
The issue has also been raised at political level through the Good Friday Agreement Committee, where Senator Conor Murphy highlighted Catherine Sherry's case during discussions with Shared Island Initiative officials. Finnegan welcomed this intervention, saying: "Conor rightly called on the Taoiseach's office and the Department of Health to prioritise this issue. No seriously ill person should have to fly across the water for treatment that is available just an hour down the road. That is simply unacceptable."
To ensure the human impact of these policy gaps is fully understood, Dáire Hughes MP has invited Catherine Sherry's husband to act as a witness at a future Good Friday Agreement Committee meeting, where he will share his family's experience and help drive the changes needed.
Finnegan stressed that her party is committed to using all available channels to address healthcare inequalities across the island. "Sinn Féin is using every lever available, north and south, to highlight the gaps in our healthcare system and work to close them. Accessible, high-quality healthcare should be a right for all on this island," she said.
Looking ahead, the MLA called for ambitious reform of healthcare provision. "Even sparing one family the trauma Catherine and hers went through would be a meaningful step forward. But we should be ambitious. Let's build a compassionate, modern, all-island healthcare system that puts patients from every corner of this island first."
The push for change requires political will from both jurisdictions, according to Finnegan, who concluded: "Cross-border cooperation on health saves lives but it requires political will from the north's Health Minister and the Government in Dublin to remove these policies of exclusion and deliver a healthcare system that works for all. Sinn Féin is fully committed to delivering a healthcare system that works for every person right across Ireland, both north and south. We will work hard to advance the all-island health agenda for the benefit of patients, families and workers all across Ireland."
