O’neill claim she has stuck to Covid rules sparks anger from unionists
SF vice-president accused of ‘brass neck hypocrisy’ over Storey funeral
SINN Fein has been accused of displaying “brass neck hypocrisy” by unionists after Michelle O’neill claimed she had “never deviated” from public health advice.
The Deputy Fi rs t Minis - ter came under fire after she accused the DUP of working against the Executive and its public health team in handling the pandemic, sparking anger from unionist MLAS.
Arlene Foster hit back at Mrs O’neill’s remarks, firmly laying part of the blame for the new sixweek lockdown at Sinn Fein’s door as the Bobby Storey funeral row was reignited.
It comes as chief scientific adviser Professor Ian Young warned that the tougher restrictions were necessary, because inaction would result in thousands of deaths.
Yesterday a further 12 people passed away here with Covid-19, bringing the Department of Health’s death toll to 1,166.
Another 510 positive cases of the virus were also recorded, and the hospital occupancy rate was 102%.
Speaking to media at a virtual meeting of the North-south Ministerial Council yesterday, Mrs Foster said the “draconian” and sweeping measures, starting on Boxing Day, were indicative of a failure of society as a whole.
And she said that Sinn Fein ministers’ presence at the funeral of veteran republican Storey in June, when there were strict restrictions in place, damaged public health messaging.
“Before [then] compliance in Northern Ireland was very good, and in fact we were the envy of other colleagues in the United Kingdom,” said the DUP leader.
“But at the end of June, one party, Sinn Fein, decided whilst they made the laws they were also above the laws. And now we find ourselves in a situation where messaging is very difficult.
“We’ve seen a breakdown in compliance and I very, very much re gret t hat t o be t he case.”
Mrs O’neill had earlier hit out at the DUP’S role in handling the Covid crisis, accusing the party of working against the Executive and its public health experts.
“I have never deviated from the public health advice, in a five-party coalition,” she told RTE.
“The DUP has worked against the entire public health team and the Executive because there’s a collective will in the other parties to do more at different times throughout the pandemic.”
The Deputy First Minister, who is understood to be one of 24 interviewed by police as part of a probe into the funeral, also doubled down on her position, repeating her claim during the North-south body’s meeting.
Asked if her public health advice claim was credible, she replied: “In terms of following the public health advice, I said I’ve never deviated from the advice of the Chief Medical Officer when he brought forward, or the health
team brought forward, proposals for how we respond to Covid.”
UUP health spokesman Alan Chambers said Sinn Fein would “win a clean sweep of gold medals if brass neck hypocrisy was an Olympic sport”.
DUP MP Carla Lockhart also hit out at Mrs O’neill, describing her remarks as “shameful”. She tweeted: “The point at which you, and thousands of others attended the Storey funeral, was the point at which the united community response to the threat of Covid was undermined beyond repair. And you still won’t apologise.”
Meanwhile, Mrs Foster suggested that schools would open as scheduled in January, with the focus of officials’ discussions on additional safety measures.
Concerns have been voiced by head teachers and parents that schools, many of which finished yesterday for the festive break, lack clarity on the matter so they can make preparations.