People of NI deserve better than being left in Covid limbo says DUP opposition

Following legal advice due to the NI Executive being without a first minister and deputy, Health Minister Robin Swann has written to other Stormont ministers asking for their input before any decisions on easing remaining restrictions.

At an anti-protocol rally this week DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said that the health minister does have the legal authority to take a decision on the matter and he understood the decision did not need to be a collective one.

UUP Health Spokesperson Alan Chambers MLA said: “Robin Swann is absolutely right to seek legal advice and consult Executive colleagues as to what to do next regarding the potential lifting of restrictions. That’s what a responsible, pragmatic minister does.

“Despite whatever advice the DUP claim to have received, it’s now clear that the position is nowhere near as straightforward as they were hoping it to be.

“Robin Swann said earlier in the week that he would lift the restrictions if he could, but following the latest advice from Executive lawyers it’s still far from certain whether legally he can even do that.

“Had the DUP not collapsed the Executive it’s almost certain, based on the latest health advice, that restrictions would have been lifted at the Executive meeting that was previously scheduled for Thursday. The DUP alone are the reason for the current legal limbo.”

SDLP Deputy Leader Nichola Mallon said that the people of NI deserve better: “[Yesterday] should have been a major milestone in our recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. After all the sacrifices that people, families and businesses have made over the last two years, we should have been in a position to lift a significant number of the remaining legal restrictions. Instead, we’re all locked into out-of-date restrictions because Jeffrey Donaldson and the DUP continue to boycott the Executive and shirk their responsibilities to people.

“The former First Minister Paul Givan should explain why selfish political games are more important than our recovery from this pandemic. He should explain why he resigned from office knowing what would happen this week. Every DUP public representative should be forced to account for political decisions that have put their own interests above the needs of people.

“People are under so much pressure as a result of this pandemic and these restrictions. They deserve a government, and political parties, who will put their interests first.”

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