Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:-
“The last 24 hours have been far from confidence-building. When the pandemic meets Stormont dysfunction, the result is not encouraging. What is packaged as reasoned and considered is in reality the product of horse-trading between the DUP and Sinn Fein.
“For weeks we were told, apparently on medical advice, that our homes were the danger ground and pubs were safe. So, meet your granny in the pub was the advice!
“Now, the hospitality industry is the target, meaning many of the lowest paid in our society will bear the brunt of financial loss.
“While children, who have only had 28 days schooling in 7 months, are to be sent home again, off licences stay open. It is also clear there is no guarantee children will return to school after 2 weeks. This very much has the feel of lockdown by stages, crippled by the unrepaired damage to the credibility of the Executive messaging flowing from the fact that 4 of the ministers who sit at the Executive table flagrantly breached the very rules they made on funerals when for them honouring the terrorist Storey was more important than public health.
“Now, they again tell the rest of us only 25 at a funeral!
“Will these measures break Covid, or break jobs? The delay in more cancer treatments will break more people.
“Nonetheless, it behoves every citizen to take full personal responsibility and follow the public health advice.
“In terms of the capacity of the NHS to cope, it is important that the Executive comes clean on what level of preparation or rundown there has been over the years. For example, how many ICU beds and general beds are there now compared to 2007 when the DUP/Sinn Fein government took over? “