Coulter steps up moves for ‘Mercy Workers’ Protection Law
Rev Dr Robert Coulter, the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member for North Antrim and UUP Stormont Commissioner, said now the power-sharing Executive was up and running, he was “stepping his campaign up into top gear for an emergency workers’ protection law”.
Assemblyman Dr Coulter, who is also UUP Health Spokesman, confirmed he was proposing to introduce the law as a Private Member’s Bill in the new Assembly.
The North Antrim MLA added: “Our mercy workers in the Fire Service, Ambulance Service and Accident and Emergency Units as well as doctors and nurses are quite literally putting their lives on the line to save others.
“However, there are situations in a supposedly democratic society which are just beyond the pale and attacks on fire fighters, health workers, nurses and doctors who are carrying out their duties are never acceptable, and can never ever be justified in anyone’s language.
“A recent attack when a pellet gun was used on fire fighters called to a fire in Belfast confirms the need for tough legislation along the lines of the Scottish model on this matter. This would create a new offence with much stiffer penalties than current laws allow.
“Now that we have a restored Stormont and things are settling down into a normal society in Northern Ireland, we must rigorously stamp out hoodlum behaviour like this and get the message out loud and clear to young thugs – the day when you could get away with this kind of yob activity is over,” said Assemblyman Dr Coulter.