Stormont ‘lost the respect of public’ to follow Covid-19 restrictions – Swann
The Stormont Executive “lost the respect and commitment” of the Northern Ireland public to follow lockdown restrictions, health minister Robin Swann has said.
Mr Swann described the period after then deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill and other Sinn Fein ministers attended the funeral of senior republican Bobby Storey in June 2020, despite restrictions on gatherings, as “challenging”.
He said many within health and social care saw it as a “blatant breach” of the regulations and also acknowledged the apology of former communities minister Caral Ni Chuilin last week over the incident.
Scenes of senior Sinn Fein politicians attending that funeral saw a chill in relations within the Executive, and the end of daily joint pandemic media with Ms O’Neill.
