Michelle O’Neill GB travel quarantine claim ‘absurd and pathetic’

Ulster Unionist leader Steve Aiken and Pam Cameron of the DUP both slammed Michelle O’Neill after the deputy first minister said Northern Ireland should protect against travellers from Great Britain spreading coronavirus.

At present, anyone arriving in the Republic of Ireland from GB is required to quarantine for 14 days.

Ms O’Neill, the Sinn Fein vice-president, called for the alignment of anti-Covid measures on both sides of the Irish border.

“It is my view that, given that this is where the biggest risk comes from, we need to act on that,” she said.

Ms O’Neill said she intends to raise the issue with fellow Stormont ministers in the hope of establishing a single island approach.

Referring to the situation in GB, she said: “The community transmission there is so much higher. Probably the biggest risk to us is travel from Britain. It is something I am concerned about.”

Mr Aiken branded Ms O’Neill’s comments as “absurd and pathetic,” while Ms Camerson said there have been “attempts to exploit Covid-19 for political gain”.

Mr Aiken said: “The remarks by Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill ... bring into question her basic understanding of the Covid pandemic.

“The fact that Michelle O’Neill, or more likely those purporting to be epidemiologists at Connelly House, don’t realise that spikes and clusters are a significant factor in the spread of this disease and that outbreaks elsewhere on these islands need to be contained locally, rather than attempting to impose borders within our own country, smacks again of political opportunism of the worst kind.”

He added: “Sinn Fein have no moral authority to lecture anyone.

“Her comments are absurd, pathetic and surreal.

“We are fortunate that four out of the five Executive parties are at least working properly together, but unfortunately it’s time that we all realised that Sinn Fein has no interest in our health or welfare but only believes in rules and regulations when it suits them – we deserve better.”

Ms Cameron also said that the Stormont parties should be working together in the best interests of the population.

“The travel regulations brought forward by the health minister and agreed by the Executive specifically relate to international travel. Indeed, they explicitly exclude the common travel area and the deputy first minister should be aware of that.”

She added: “Unfortunately there have been attempts over the past few months to exploit Covid-19 for political gain. The Sinn Fein president previously attempted to claim that the pandemic was an ‘accelerator’ for a united Ireland.

“The Executive should not be distracted by any such comments but instead parties should be guided by the expert advice and work together in the best interests of the wider public.”

Speaking earlier yesterday, DUP leader Arlene Foster said the existing common travel area across the British Isles should be respected.

“We have to be driven by the science and advice we are given, we’re also very clear that we are in a common travel area and we respect that common travel area,” she said.

“The Republic of Ireland has decided to go on a different route and they don’t respect the common travel area, that’s a matter for them.

“But I think it is important for business, for family life, for social life, for political life, let’s face it, as well, that we continue to have the UK working together and making sure we can have that travel across the United Kingdom.”

At present there are around 60 countries on Northern Ireland’s ‘safe travel’ list but it is expected the list published by the Irish government will be shorter.

Mrs Foster added: “The decisions are taken around our travel regulations on the advice from the chief medical officer [Dr Michael McBride] working in the ‘four nations’ approach across the UK, so there’s an understanding as to why that is the case.”