Joy as NI travellers make it home for Christmas amid confusion over rules across UK

But their delight has been tempered by a chaotic picture across the UK, with a continuously changing set of rules around travel prompted by the emergence of a new, more infectious strain of coronavirus.

In Northern Ireland, where ministers voted down a Sinn Fein proposal to enact an outright ban on travel with the rest of the UK in a late-night meeting of the Stormont Executive on Monday, the official advice for those arriving here from either Great Britain or the Republic of Ireland is to self-isolate for 10 days.

That advice could prove difficult for those travelling with the intention of forming a ‘Christmas bubble’ with family or friends from another household, with regulations now allowing that kind of mixing for just one day despite a UK-wide plan to allow an easing of restrictions over five days having been announced weeks ago — only to be subsequently ripped up by the four nations after many had already made plans.

Despite the decision taken by the Executive on Monday night not to opt for a travel ban, Sinn Fein yesterday continued to push for Northern Ireland to join with the Republic in taking such a drastic step with just days to go before December 25.

The confusion is compounded by the different rules for people travelling from other parts of the UK.

Those living under ‘Tier 4’ restrictions are being told not to travel outside the area at all and so aren’t permitted to spendChristmas in Northern Ireland. Those living in Scotland, meanwhile, have been told they can’t travel to Northern Ireland or any other part of the UK for the purpose of forming a ‘bubble’ with another household.

The Republic of Ireland’s decision to ground commercial flights to and from Great Britain has led to concern that Northern Ireland being used as a “funnel” for those seeking to sidestep the ban, according to the Stormont Health Minister Robin Swann.

Mr Swann, speaking to the Assembly’s health committee yesterday, said he hadn’t been briefed by the Dublin government before the step was taken.

“From what I am aware, by speaking to other ministerial colleagues, we didn’t have any pre-sight of that,” he told the Stormont scrutiny committee.

“I think FM (first minister) and dFM (deputy first minister), like myself, received the call after it had been announced.

“So it left us as the funnel or as the avenue of getting back in.

“If there had been more co-ordination and conversations it could have made a difference.”

Mr Swann also questioned the Irish Government’s decision to charter flights to take people back home to Ireland while the ban on commercial flights was in place.

“They’re bringing back the same people that would have been coming on those commercial flights over the past 48 hours, so I struggle to see the benefit in that ban if you’re bringing back the same people from the same area but actually putting them into a smaller compact number of aeroplanes and ferries as well, where they will interact,” he said.

At the Executive meeting on Monday night, the minister presented a paper outlining the latest evidence from Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride and Chief Scientific Advisor Professor Ian Young.

The paper, which has been seen by the News Letter, states that there would be “merit” in limiting travel with the rest of the UK and the Republic of Ireland if the mutated strain of the virus was not already present in Northern Ireland.

The strain is thought to have reached Northern Ireland already, but that had yet to be confirmed late last night.

Mr Swann said in the paper that the issue is “more complex than simply, and bluntly” banning all travel.

Mr Swann also explained at the commmittee the rationale for stopping short of recommending a ban on travel between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

He highlighted the impact on supply chains, warning that medical stocks could have been endangered.

“We have a concern about our supply chains in regards to anything that would stop the movement of ferries or aeroplanes, because we are reliant, we’re at the end of a very long supply chain when it comes to some medicines and some medical devices,” he said.