Your Public Service Media Do Mheáin Seirbhíse Poiblí
Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill has said there is no evidence to suggest there was a fall in compliance with Covid-19 restrictions after the funeral of republican Bobby Storey in 2020.
Ex-first minister Arlene Foster made the claim as she appeared before an inquiry in Belfast examining Stormont's decisions on test, trace and isolation.
The former DUP leader said there was a fall in compliance after Sinn Féin ministers, including Ms O’Neill, attended the large-scale funeral for the senior republican in west Belfast in June 2020, when there were restrictions on social gatherings. "I don’t think that we were slow to promote compliance because day after day at press conferences we were urging the public to comply," Mrs Foster told the inquiry. "There was a breakdown in compliance after the attendance of senior members of Sinn Féin at a high-ranking republican funeral at the end of June, which caused severe difficulties in Northern Ireland with compliance and adherence." She said that despite efforts made, including working with the PSNI and giving money to councils to employ Covid-19 marshals, there was "a difficulty which still hung over the executive" around non-compliance because of the funeral.
Asked about Mrs Foster’s comments, Ms O’Neill told the inquiry: "I think, unfortunately, I believe Arlene Foster raised that issue again today in the inquiry because the comments are politically motivated. "I don’t believe there is any evidence that suggests that actually is the case." Ms O’Neill apologised at the inquiry last year for having attended the funeral.
Read more on rte.ie
United States
|
Cases: 46 252 513
Deaths: 750 423
Recovered: 0
|
India
|
Cases: 34 321 025
Deaths: 459 652
Recovered: 0
|
Brazil
|
Cases: 21 835 785
Deaths: 608 235
Recovered: 0
|
United Kingdom
|
Cases: 9 215 683
Deaths: 141 607
Recovered: 0
|
Russia
|
Cases: 8 494 589
Deaths: 237 619
Recovered: 0
|
