Covid-19 Inquiry: Doug Beattie says suggestion that Robin Swann be removed as health minister 'extraordinary and bizarre'

Evidence to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry has suggested a senior civil servant made the suggestion after frustrations were voiced within the Stormont Executive.

The move was mooted after then deputy first minister Michelle O'Neill, and to a lesser extent then first minister Arlene Foster, expressed frustration with the Department of Health, evidence to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry has suggested.

In a tranche of evidence documents published by the inquiry on its website on Wednesday evening, in an email exchange between civil servants in March 2020, then head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service Sir David Sterling noted Ms O'Neill's frustration at “having little power or influence over the health service”.

He wrote that Ms Foster recognised the operational independence of the health minister but was also “frustrated at the lack of information” coming out of the Department of Health and “frequent surprises”, such as an announcement over hospital visits ending.

A senior official in the Department of Finance at the time, Hugh Widdis, suggested a “ministerial reshuffle” with a view to a health minister from Sinn Fein or the DUP, the two largest parties in Northern Ireland, which Ms O'Neill and Ms Foster respectively belonged to.

“There would be more radical options but I presume that they aren't palatable eg: asking Robin to take a different portfolio for the duration (they would have to make a tempting offer) and putting a SF or DUP minister in? Or causing d'Hondt to be run again,” he wrote in the email exchange.

There were also other suggestions such as developing an emergency programme for government, or creating “an all-Exec overarching Covid strategy” which the first and deputy first ministers “can lead and own”.

Mr Swann remained in place as health minister throughout the pandemic, and in January 2024 resumed the role following the re-establishment of devolved government.

Mr Beattie said some of the revelations coming out of the inquiry are “extraordinary and bizarre”.

He said he is writing to the current head of the civil service, Jayne Brady.

“Some of the commentary seems to suggest that a deliberate attempt to isolate and bully the health minister was taking shape,” he said.

“The suggestion is that the then deputy first minister – Michelle O'Neill – wanted the two big parties, the DUP and Sinn Fein, to take control of the situation.

“At the same time, some of their ministers refused to bring forward Covid regulations before the assembly because it would be unpopular and, in some cases, refused to support necessary but unpopular regulations.

“I will be writing to the head of the Civil Service – Jayne Brady – to discuss the revelation that one of her senior civil servants floated the idea that the health minister should be replaced by a minister from one of the two big parties.

“The Civil Service should be non-party political, yet this idea clearly showed that this individual was more concerned about placating Sinn Fein and the DUP duopoly.”