UK News Christmas relaxations balance risk and hope, says O’Neill

A move to allow families to reunite over Christmas has balanced risks against the need to give people hope, Stormont’s deputy first minister has said.

© Provided by PA Media Michelle O’Neill (Sinn Fein/PA)

Michelle O’Neill and First Minister Arlene Foster joined the UK Government and other devolved nations to agree a common approach to the festive period that will allow three households to mix in a bubble from December 23 to 27.

Ms O’Neill acknowledged the relaxations would increase opportunities for coronavirus to spread, but she said it was important that people could look forward to the Christmas period after such a “desperate” year.

Foster and O’Neill at odds on Stormont veto mechanism

Stormont’s leaders both faced Assembly questions on Monday following last week’s executive row over the extension of Northern Ireland’s circuit break.Addressing the Assembly, Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill accused her partners-in-government of abusing a mechanism she insisted was designed to protect minority rights, not thwart health regulations.

Following talks with devolved administrations, the Cabinet Office said ministers endorsed a shared objective of introducing a temporary amnesty from social mixing restrictions to allow “some limited additional household bubbling”. No 10 is yet to confirm how many days the reprieve will apply for

She said she hoped that there could be a joined-up executive agreement "we can stand over because the science tells us that we can stand over it". Ms O ' Neill was speaking on BBC Northern Ireland's The View on Thursday evening. She made the comments after Environment Minister Edwin Poots

The Sinn Fein vice president also expressed hope that alignment could be achieved with the Irish Republic.

“There is risk involved here,” she said.

“We’re asking people to be responsible, we’re asking people to be safe, keep their family safe and remember that every action that we take as individuals can have an impact on those around us.

“So we’re just trying to get a balance and we’re trying to give people some hope because it’s been a desperate year all around.”

Ms O’Neill said she expected an announcement from the Irish Government later in the week.

© Provided by PA Media (PA Graphics)

“Everybody’s grasping for some wee bit of hope and wee bit of light and we want to be able to give them that, and the clearer the message can be across the two islands then that’s a better position for us all to be in,” she added.

DUP leader Mrs Foster welcomed the agreement. She said people from Northern Ireland living in Great Britain would want to return home at Christmas.

“We of course recognise how important Christmas time is for so many people in Northern Ireland,” she said.

“The fact we have been able to secure agreement across Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland – the four constituent parts of the United Kingdom – is very strong because of course we know that people will want to come together from the four parts of the UK to be together at Christmas.”