Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:-
“The severe nature of Stormont’s latest lockdown, which will inevitably further jeopardise our economy, arises in significant measure because of the cumulative failure of local Executives since devolution returned in 2007 to protect our NHS.
“Under Stormont rule, we have seen 1500 hospital beds and the medical staff to sustain the same removed from Northern Ireland’s hospitals. Little wonder, then, our hospitals can’t now cope. Likewise, Stormont took no steps over the years to prepare for a pandemic.
“Make no mistake, we are facing this further imposition of lockdown because the Executive ran down our hospitals.
“Of course, Covid-19 is the immediate cause of these savage restrictions, which now includes effective curfew, but it is Stormont neglect and reduction of hospital beds over the years that has left us unable to cope. I suppose even a collective apology for such ineptitude would be too much to expect?
“As for the loss of public adherence to advice, much of this can be traced to the flagrant defiance of the regulations in the first lockdown by Michelle O’Neill and co. When law makers parade as law breakers, then the little people draw their own conclusions.”