Stormont agrees new Covid-19 restrictions - backed by Robin Swann but opposed by Sinn Fein

This will be followed by a partial reopening of the hospitality sector, Stormont sources have said.

The Press Association (PA) understands the partial reopening of the hospitality sector in Northern Ireland next Friday will include:

– Close contact services, including hairdressing, beauty treatments and driving lessons, resuming on November 20 by appointment only.

– Unlicensed premises, including cafes and coffee shops, reopening on November 20. Restricted opening hours to 8pm. No alcohol can be consumed in these premises.

– All other sections of hospitality that have been closed during the circuit-break will open on November 27.

– Pubs and bars permitted to sell sealed off-sales from November 20.

PA understands that the DUP, UUP and Alliance voted for the proposals.

Sinn Fein voted against and the SDLP abstained.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said: “Today the Executive agreed to a two-week extension of the regulations with coffee shops, cafes and close contact services opening a week earlier.

“While the SDLP was pleased that the additional financial support we have been pushing for was also agreed, SDLP minister Nichola Mallon abstained on the vote as she could not in good conscience support measures that fell short of protecting against plunging us into more restrictions just before Christmas – even two weeks would have risked that.”

He said the SDLP will always work in the interests of the health care system, local economy and communities.

“We won’t accede to threats from the DUP or anyone else – but we will continue to fight for a fair, functional, honest, transparent government that our citizens deserve.

“We will not, not now, not ever, play politics with lives or livelihoods.”

A Sinn Fein source said the party voted against the proposals because it ran contrary to the advice from Stormont’s medical and scientific advisers to extend the circuit-break in its entirety for two weeks.

It is understood health minister Robin Swann backed the proposal as a way to avoid all the regulations lapsing at midnight on Friday.

The meeting is understood to have included some fractious exchanges between Sinn Fein and DUP ministers.

PA understands that at one point DUP First Minister Arlene Foster told her Sinn Fein counterparts: “I won’t be taking any lectures from Sinn Fein on excess deaths.”

DUP economy minister Diane Dodds said the public had endured enough of politicians wrangling.

She told BBC Newsline: “What we have to do is bring certainty to people in their lives in the run up to Christmas.

“We have tried to bring forward a proposal that is balanced and proportionate and that the health minister supported.

“That is the only way forward for an Executive of five parties.”

She said poverty caused by economic inactivity was also a terrible thing to inflict.

“It will also cause death, distress and mental health issues.”

She said it was not her intention to return to the same situation before Christmas.

“No matter what we do or do not do, there may be need for further interventions at a further stage, maybe even before Christmas.

“The virus is new and unpredictable and difficult to work with.

“We have to make sure that there is a pathway for people to earn their living and put food on the table and that we learn to live with the restrictions of this virus.”

Stormont deputy first minister Michelle O’Neill told the BBC’s Newsline programme a two-week extension would potentially have brought them to the other side of Christmas before new measures had to be reintroduced.

“We potentially are coming back to this situation again before Christmas.

“This is not a position that any of us want to be in.”

The Sinn Fein vice-president said Stormont chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride’s advice was very clear and stark.

“To do anything other than a two-week extension would cause excess death.

“I in all good conscience could not support a proposal that falls short of that.”

She said it was a “challenging” time for the Stormont Executive’s five parties.

“I am appalled at the actions of the DUP this week, to use a cross-community vote when they did not get their own way.”

PA understands the paper agreed by the Executive also commits to:

– Provide support to hospitality sector to introduce mitigations to reduce risk, such as ventilation systems and contact tracing recording;

– Roll out vaccinations from as early as possible, potentially in December, for priority groups;

– Continue preparations for introduction of rapid testing;

– Additional financial support for affected businesses;

– A compliance working group to improve adherence to the regulations.

The First Minister and deputy First Minister have tonight formally written to the Assembly outlining the decisions taken by the Executive on the Covid-19 response.

They said the Executive has agreed the following:

- Close contact services including driving instructors will reopen by appointment on 20 November;

- Hospitality will reopen on a graduated basis, with unlicensed premises such as cafes and coffee shops opening on 20 November, with restricted opening hours to 8.00pm. This will not include the purchase or consumption of alcohol on such premises;

- Support will be provided for mitigations to reduce risk within the hospitality sector, including improved ventilation and requirements for the recording of customer information for contact tracing purposes;

- Pubs and bars will be permitted to sell sealed off sales on 20 November;

- The remaining restrictions, which came into being on 16 October, would be extended and come to an end at midnight on 26 November, leaving all elements of hospitality including hotels able to open on 27 November;

- A vaccination programme will be rolled out from as early as possible in December in line with England, initially targeting priority groups such as health care staff, care homes and those with underlying vulnerabilities;

- Ongoing preparation for introduction of rapid testing at the earliest opportunity;

- Additional financial support for affected businesses; and

- A strengthened adherence/compliance working group, which will work to assist and to mitigate risk in the opening up of the hospitality businesses.

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