Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill acknowledges Stormont’s public health message damaged by controversy around Bobby Storey’s funeral - DUP leader Arlene releases statement in response

In an interview on RTE, Ms O’Neill said she regrets that large numbers attended the veteran republican’s funeral in June.

The Deputy First Minister was among those who attended, despite Covid-19 restrictions. At the time other parties said their credibility was undermined.

She made the comments as Health Minister Robin Swann intimated he will today recommend tightening Coronavirus restrictions when the Executive meets later.

He said they needed to act now to avoid more restrictions at a later date.

“The message is simple. The summer is over,” he said.

Ms O’Neill told RTÉ News she hopes the practice of the first and deputy first ministers sharing a platform on pandemic policy issues can be restored - to prepare for a challenging winter.

After Mr Storey’s funeral, First Minister and DUP leader Arlene Foster suspended her practice of hosting a joint news conference with Ms O’Neill when delivering Covid-19 updates.

Last night, Ms O’Neill acknowledged Stormont’s public health messaging capacity had been undermined by the row.

She told RTÉ News : “It wasn’t my intention this would happen, but it did, I accept this and I regret this is the case.

“I accept that we have not been able to deliver clear messaging in the format that was the practice before this controversy.”

This morning DUP Leader and First Minister of Northern Ireland Arlene Foster issued a statement in response. She does not rule out a return to joint messaging with Ms O’Neill.

In the statement she says that “the Storey funeral fundamentally undermined the Northern Ireland Executive’s Covid-19 rules and confused our messaging”.

She adds: “The public messaging was significantly undermined as a result of the attendance at the funeral by those who make the law and regulations.

“It is right that the Deputy First Minister has acknowledged the undermining of the public messaging as a result of what happened, and the deep hurt and anger that was caused as a result of Michelle O’Neill’s action.

“Those who set the rules must abide by the rules.

“Clearly those investigations and enquiries into the activities at the funeral which we instigated must continue and we look forward to their conclusions as soon as possible.

“Northern Ireland is facing very significant challenges as a result of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic and it is vital that as we move forward we do so on the basis that our messages are clear and that the actions of everyone in leadership do nothing to undermine the collective efforts to beat COVID-19”.

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