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Arlene Foster denies the executive is 'collapsing into disarray'

First Minister Arlene Foster has denied the executive is in disarray over its response to coronavirus. Picture by Colm Lenaghan, Pacemaker Press
First Minister Arlene Foster has denied the executive is in disarray over its response to coronavirus. Picture by Colm Lenaghan, Pacemaker Press First Minister Arlene Foster has denied the executive is in disarray over its response to coronavirus. Picture by Colm Lenaghan, Pacemaker Press
By Digital staff

First Minister Arlene Foster has denied the executive is "collapsing into disarray" over its response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill last night claimed Health Minister Robin Swann had been "too slow" to act on issues such as testing and personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare staff.

[ READ MORE: Michelle O'Neill and Arlene Foster at odds over health minister's coronavirus response ]

Her criticism came after Sinn Fein and the DUP disagreed about the closure of non-essential businesses last week, with Ms O'Neill calling for them all to close.

Mrs Foster said some businesses should be able to remain open if they are able to maintain social distancing.

First Minister Arlene Foster and deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill. Picture by Colm Lenaghan, Pacemaker
First Minister Arlene Foster and deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill. Picture by Colm Lenaghan, Pacemaker First Minister Arlene Foster and deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill. Picture by Colm Lenaghan, Pacemaker

The DUP leader today insisted the executive is working together to tackle the pandemic.

"It's not collapsing into disarray, it's very important to recognise that we are coming forward as a five-party executive, I as the First Minister have a leadership role in that and I am trying to pull people together, and I speak to all of the ministers and pull us all together," she said.

"I think it is recognised that we are living through abnormal times.

"When the executive was set up, and I think people need to reflect on this, but just at the beginning of this year we knew that there would be challenges ahead, but none of us knew we were coming into the challenge that we are facing at this point in time, a challenge that we share with governments right across the world."

Last night, Ms O'Neill claimed that: "Slavishly following the Boris Johnson model, which has been too slow to act, means we are not as prepared as we could be."

She told the BBC: "I have made these arguments privately and I feel it's my moral duty, given the severity of the situation we are dealing with, that I have to say those things when I think they are not right."

Asked if she retained confidence in Mr Swann, she added: "I will continue to work with Robin, I think he has been too slow to act but I think we have to work our way through what is going to be even more difficult days in the time ahead and this is not a time to be calling for anybody's head or any of those things."