Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Foster: I’m baffled by European jab stance
A DECISION by the European Commission to prevent coronavirus vaccine from crossing the border into Northern Ireland was baffling, Stormont’s First Minister said.
Arlene Foster claimed the hastily-reversed gaffe exposed the true priority of Brussels – protecting its own trading bloc.
The commission was forced into an embarrassing U-turn after facing intense criticism for attempting to hinder the free flow of jabs across the border using legal clause Article 16 in the Northern Ireland Protocol.
The DUP leader said: “It is baffling beyond baffling.
“It was wrong in so many ways, the fact the EU were going to use a mechanism we were told could only be used in extremis, to stop vaccine from coming into the UK through Northern Ireland.”
It came amid a furore over vaccine supply in the bloc, with Brussels angered by Astrazeneca, the Britishswedish pharmaceutical firm, reducing the amount of the Oxford-designed inoculations it could deliver to the EU. The move caused consternation on both sides of the Irish Sea, angering PM Boris Johnson, the
DUP and Sinn Fein.
RESCUERS put a buoyancy aid under a horse’s head after she sank into a deep swamp.
Cob Farrah got into a sticky spot after escaping from her field and venturing into the bog.
Farrah’s hooves didn’t even touch the bottom of the marsh in Amlwch, Anglesey, North Wales, but she was finally winched almost 100ft to safety.
A vet said her life was saved by two rugs she was wearing which stopped hypothermia.
RSPCA inspector Mark Roberts said: “The area was a mat of moss, reeds and roots so we had to force our arms to get two straps round her. We’re very hopeful she will be OK.”