LISTEN: Struggle to agree new NI coronavirus restrictions exposes divisions in executive

By PA and Q Radio News

Divisions at the head of the Stormont executive have been laid bare as ministers struggle to agree new coronavirus restrictions for Northern Ireland.

The administration’s two main parties – the DUP and Sinn Fein – are engaged in a claim and counterclaim spat amid a failure to reach consensus ahead of the looming end to the current circuit-break lockdown.

Ministers resumed talks on Wednesday afternoon on proposals to partially reopen the hospitality sector after late night meetings on Monday and Tuesday broke up without agreement.

One proposal on the table is from Robin Swann, the Health Minsiter that would see the current circuit-break restrictions extended by one week, in a bid to end the deadlock.

Northern Ireland’s four-week circuit-break lockdown ends at midnight on Thursday, at which point regulations that have forced the closure of much of the hospitality sector will fall away.

The administration is facing mounting criticism for failing to tell businesses whether they will be able to reopen on Friday.

The DUP and Sinn Fein were at odds over a previous proposal from health minister Robin Swann to extend the circuit-break in its entirety for two weeks.

The DUP strongly opposed that idea and used its veto to block the move during Tuesday’s executive meeting.

That tactic drew criticism from Sinn Fein and the other three executive parties.

In a statement, Michelle O'Neill said, the Executive’s approach to the new restrictions must be guided by public health advice.

“Last night at the Executive we were warned by the chief medical officer (Dr Michael McBride) that any easing of the current restrictions would cause ‘excess deaths’,” she said.

“The advice was stark and clear – if we don’t keep current restrictions in place for another two weeks, more people will die.

“My priority has been to save lives, protect livelihoods and ensure that our health service would not be overwhelmed by the spread of the virus.

“Last night the Health Minister (Robin Swann) brought forward a paper which made it very clear there should be an extension of the current restrictions for another two weeks to reduce the spread of the virus and its impact on society.

“The health minister’s proposal to extend the restrictions was put to a vote in the Executive.

“Sinn Fein, the UUP, the SDLP and the Alliance Party, a majority of the Executive voted in favour of the health minister’s proposals.

“The DUP voted against, used their veto and blocked the Health Minister’s proposal.”

Statement from Michelle O'Neill ↓https://t.co/ZZBMg429tO pic.twitter.com/yViVBUa7Kn

— Sinn Féin (@sinnfeinireland) November 11, 2020

Mr O’Neill added: “The coronavirus doesn’t recognise or respect any community, it is a threat to all our people. The chief medical officer’s advice last night was stark and clear that easing of the restrictions would cause excess deaths.

“We will return to the Executive today and my approach will continue to be guided by the medical advice and the Executive’s joint policy objective to save lives, prevent our health service and workers being overwhelmed and provide financial support for businesses, workers and their families.

“Four weeks on, workers and low-income families are still waiting on financial help promised by the Department of Economy. That delay is unacceptable and needs to be fixed immediately.”

But the DUP is understood to be furious at Sinn Fein’s decision to back Mr Swann’s proposal.

The party believes Sinn Fein has backtracked on an apparent pledge to endorse the reopening of cafes and restaurants.

DUP sources believe Sinn Fein’s Dublin powerbase intervened and forced a change in direction north of the border.

DUP First Minister Arlene Foster said her partners in government had to explain why they had changed position.

Mrs Foster pointed to a Sunday media interview in which Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill said the executive was looking at ways of “opening things up perhaps without alcohol”.

“She (Ms O’Neill) advocated a wide range of relaxations she said she was proposing that to the executive and I think it is a matter for Sinn Fein as to why they now are in a situation, despite the fact there has been no change in the medical advice, none whatsoever, as to why they are now in a completely different scenario,” she told the BBC.

Arlene Foster and Michelle O'Neill at a COVID-19 press conference

“They are (now) saying let us keep hairdressers and beauticians closed, let us keep coffee shops on our high streets closed and roll it over for another two weeks in the knowledge that in two weeks’ time things will not have changed and we will be back in exactly the same position, faced with exactly the same decision.”

The claims have been robustly rejected by Sinn Fein, with the party insisting it was acting in line with medical and scientific advice.

A senior Sinn Fein source said: “We always said any movement had to be based on medical advice.”

The DUP used a contentious Stormont mechanism – a cross-community vote – to effectively veto the proposal, despite support for the move by a majority of executive parties.

Mr Swann and senior health officials had warned that Covid-19 cases were likely to spike again in mid-December if the fortnight extension was not approved.

Sinn Fein MP Michelle Gildernew branded the DUP move “madness”.

She tweeted: “And the situation in the north of Ireland is that @duponline have used their veto in Executive to reject the Health Minister’s recommendation & are ignoring CMO’s advice to extend lockdown by 2 weeks. While our hospitals & staff are creaking at the seams #madness.”

During Tuesday’s executive meeting, Alliance Party justice minister Naomi Long was particularly critical of the deployment of the cross-community vote – a mechanism designed to protect minority rights in a post-conflict society – to torpedo health regulations.

Ms Long's party collleague Paula Bradshaw, the party's health spokesperson told Q Radio some parties were treating the negotiations as a "high stakes gamble."

Paula Bradshaw speaking to Q Radio

The independent MLA, and former Justice Minister, Claire Sugden expressed similar views:

The public are losing confidence. NI Executive behaviour & messaging is doing more harm to the pandemic response than the businesses they are keeping closed. Make a decision!

— Claire Sugden (@ClaireSugden) November 11, 2020

Claire Sugden

After Mr Swann’s paper was voted down, ministers turned to debating the alternative proposals tabled by DUP economy minister Diane Dodds.

Those discussions were due to resume on Wednesday.

The PA news agency understands those measures include:

– Close contact services, including hairdressing, beauty treatments and driving lessons, resuming on November 13 by appointment only.

– Unlicensed premises, including cafes and coffee shops, reopening on November 13.

– Hotels able to serve food and alcohol to residents.

– Licensed premises remaining closed until November 27. A “safely open group”, involving hospitality sector and executive, to be established to oversee this move.

– Pubs and bars able to offer sealed off-sales from November 13.

Ahead of the meeting on Wednesday, Mrs Dodds published data suggesting that the four-week circuit-break had resulted in a £400 million loss for the local economy.

Also reacting to the continued delays, Paul Clancy, Chief Executive of the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, said: 

“The lack of a decision this week is beyond frustrating. 

“We have members spread across multiple sectors including close contact retail and hospitality, who have no idea what is happening on Friday. That is an impossible position to be in.  

Paul Clancy

“If there won’t be a lifting of restrictions on Friday then this must be communicated to businesses urgently. 

“Financial support must also be guaranteed so that businesses can stay closed and keep people in jobs before Christmas.

“We understand that these are grave issues and this is not an easy task, but tough decisions must be made today without further delay.”

Similar sentiments were also expressed by the industry body, Hospitality Ulster.

Businesses have already made the decision for @niexecutive as many now could not reopen on Friday even if allowed. Financial support MUST now be extended immediately. Least worst option- work with us to reopen ASAP & no later than 27th Nov #SaveOurHospitality pic.twitter.com/7KIwAiI228

— HOSPITALITY ULSTER (@HospUlster) November 11, 2020