DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley is at odds with party colleague and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly over the signing-off of approval to provide medical treatment of seriously ill Palestinian children.
The Upper Bann representative said the health service is for “our children, our men and women, and our elderly”.
He also accused the British government of being “dangerously naive” by agreeing to take part in the so-called medivac scheme that could see up to 300 children receive urgent care.
The Irish News revealed on Monday that Stormont ministers had agreed to a small number of Gazan children receiving emergency clinical attention in Northern Ireland as part of a UK-wide initiative.
While the numbers of children involved has yet to be confirmed, it’s understood that less than a handful will receive treatment at hospitals in the north.
Supported by Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, the move was approved jointly by First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Ms Little-Pengelly by way of an ‘urgent procedure’, avoiding the need for a full executive meeting.
But Mr Buckley has criticised the decision, repeating his previous assertion that the regional health service should treat residents only.
“I firmly believe that Northern Ireland’s sole and primary focus must be on the treatment and care of its own people – our children, our men and women, and our elderly,” the Upper Bann MLA posted on Facebook as reports of agreement on the treatment for children emerged on Monday.
“This is not about being incompassionate, it’s about being responsible.”
Children were among the injured after a strike in Gaza City in April. PITCURE: AP (Jehad Alshrafi/AP)
Mr Buckley, who alongside fellow DUP MLA Trevor Clarke, was critical of Ms O’Neill when she recently floated the idea of joining the UK-wide scheme, said the north faced “many challenges” and did not “need additional refugees – vulnerable or otherwise”.
“The UK is being dangerously naive – make no mistake, what begins as small numbers will ultimately become big numbers,” he said.
“What Northern Ireland does need is politicians who are prepared to ALWAYS put our own people first,” he wrote.
DUP headquarters has yet to comment on Mr Buckley’s remarks.
Alliance deputy leader Éoin Tennyson said two DUP representatives had opposing views on the issue and that the party leadership needed to “clarify just who speaks for the party on this matter”.
“We all just play our part in ending the horrible scenes emanating from Gaza – taking fewer than a handful of children for specialist medical treatment is the least we can do to help alleviate some of that suffering,” he said.
“Whilst it is welcome the deputy first minister has finally made the right call and signed off on the scheme, it is deeply depressing to see the DUP so split and devoid of compassion on this issue.”