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STORMONT MINISTERS HAVE again failed to agree to new coronavirus restrictions for Northern Ireland amid deteriorating relations atop the power-sharing administration.
The executive failed to reach consensus after a long and sometimes bitter meeting last night.
It was the second night in a row that the executive parted ways without an agreement.
Ministers are expected to resume debate later today on proposals that would see a partial reopening of the hospitality sector.
The current four-week circuit lockdown ends tomorrow at midnight, at which point the regulations that have forced the closure of much of the hotel sector will disappear.
Ministers face mounting criticism for not telling companies if they can reopen on Friday.
There were angry exchanges at the beginning of yesterday’s meeting when the DUP moved to block a proposal by Health Minister Robin Swann to extend the circuit interruption measures for two more weeks.
The DUP used a Stormont contentious mechanism, an intercommunity vote, to effectively veto the proposal, despite support for the measure from most executive parties.
Swann and senior health officials warned that Covid-19 cases are likely to spike again in mid-December if the fifteen-day extension is not approved.
Subsequent ministers debated alternative proposals put forward by Economy Minister Diane Dodds, which included the reopening of cafes and coffee shops, but again consensus proved elusive.
There was no early vote on those proposals and the meeting concluded after midnight without agreement on the way forward.
Previously, Alliance Party Justice Minister Naomi Long had been particularly critical of the deployment of cross-community voting, a mechanism designed to protect minority rights in a post-conflict society, to torpedo health regulations. .
However, the vote also generated anger within the DUP, and the party was understood to be furious at Sinn Féin’s decision to back Swann’s proposal.
A leading party source accused Sinn Féin of “somersaulting” in an apparent promise to back the reopening of cafes and restaurants.
The source claimed Sinn Féin agreed to that post over the weekend, noting an interview with the media on Sunday in which Deputy Prime Minister Michelle O’Neill said the executive was looking for ways to “open things up. maybe no alcohol. “
The source further claimed that Sinn Féin changed positions on the instructions from his Dublin power base.
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Sinn Féin vigorously rejected the claims, and the party insisted it was acting in accordance with medical and scientific advice.
A senior Sinn Féin source said: “We always said that any move had to be based on medical advice.”
After Swann’s document was rejected, the ministers moved on to debate the alternative proposals put forward by Dodds.
The PA news agency understands that those measures include:
- Close contact services, including hairdressing, beauty treatments, and driving classes, resuming November 13 by appointment only.
- Unlicensed venues, including cafes and coffee shops, will reopen on November 13.
- Hotels capable of serving food and alcohol to residents.
- The licensed premises will remain closed until November 27. A “secure open group” will be established, involving the hotel sector and the executive, to oversee this movement.
- Pubs and bars in conditions to offer closed sale from November 13.
During the meeting, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Michael McBride and Senior Scientific Advisor Professor Ian Young briefed ministers on the implications of each move on Covid-19 infection rates.
Another 11 Covid-19-related deaths were announced in Northern Ireland yesterday, along with 514 new confirmed cases.
With the clear that no consensus would be reached on the proposals, the ministers did not vote on the measures last night, instead opting to end the meeting shortly after 12.30 pm.
They should come back to the discussions on Dodds’ proposals later today.
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