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The decentralized government of Northern Ireland has voted by a narrow margin to extend COVID restrictions after a four-week “circuit breaker” lockdown.
Cafeterias, hairdressers and beauty salons will be closed for another week; pubs and restaurants authorized for two more weeks.
The decision was made after four days of heated exchanges, particularly between the two biggest parties: the DUP and Sinn Fein.
The ministers also found that they had been working on the wrong deadline, the restrictions were due to expire on Friday and not Thursday.
In a video, posted on the way to the Northern Ireland soccer game, DUP leader Arlene Foster confirmed that they had made a decision.
The decision was made after four days of bickering at Stormont.
The Prime Minister said: “These last four days, days that I certainly did not seek, the election became either a quick but incorrect decision or to fight and lead us to a better and balanced decision.”
“You know that sometimes the commitment is not easy and you have to fight to achieve it,” he added.
Failing to gain support for a partial lifting of the restrictions, the DUP twice deployed an inter-community voting mechanism to veto the Stormont Health Minister’s proposals to extend them.
Deputy Prime Minister Michelle O’Neill said Sinn Fein, who voted against the plan, will continue to be guided by the health councils.
She said: “I am very disappointed that the DUP has abused a voting mechanism designed to protect minorities to block the implementation of public health measures during this global pandemic.”
They also close restaurants, gyms, leisure centers and hairdressers.
The two unionist parties and the Intercommunity Alliance Party had endorsed the compromise, Sinn Fein voted against and the nationalist SDLP abstained.
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood described the handling of the issue by the DUP and Sinn Fein as “chaotic.”
He said: “Without a doubt, the action and inaction of the DUP and Sinn Fein in the Executive this week has been a disgrace.
“They have let down people, companies, patients, doctors and nurses. They are a shame.”
The fact that the parties took four days to get to this point and that it was not a unanimous decision does not bode well for the decentralized government.
With Northern Ireland still locked in and tough Brexit decisions looming, old tensions are putting pressure on the New Approach deal that restored power sharing.
