HEALTH Minister Robin Swann last night urged his executive colleagues to work to "repair the damage" caused by days of wrangling over Covid-19 restrictions.
He was speaking at the end of a week that saw a series of acrimonious executive meetings and the DUP's double deployment of a cross-community veto. On Thursday, Arlene Foster's party pushed through a watered down version of the measures recommended by the chief medical officer, which will remain in place for a fortnight.
Close contact services and unlicensed premises can reopen on Friday November 20.
"Whilst the pandemic has undoubtedly confronted us with many immensely difficult decisions, the people and businesses of Northern Ireland deserved so much better than the leadership and political stewardship they were given," Mr Swann said.
He said the past month of restrictions had had "proven effective in bringing down the value of R" but that they were a higher proportion of Covid cases in the over-60s. The minister said the number of hospital inpatients was not falling and that he remained concerned about the system's ability to cope.
"There is a heavy burden on the public in terms of protecting each other and the health service – I hope and trust they will rise to the challenge better than the political class has managed this week," he said.
As the fallout from days of fractious meetings continued, Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald condemned the DUP's actions this week as "shameful and depressing".
She said the number of Covid cases in the north was still high and "extremely worrying".
"The idea that the DUP can turn public health and the need to keep all of us safe and to do the right thing for everyone in very difficult circumstances, that they can turn that into an orange versus green, them versus us issue, is really very shocking," she said.
"I think it gives a glimpse into how profoundly challenging it is to deal with that system."
DUP Junior Minister Gordon Lyons said his party was taking "balanced and proportionate approach" to Covid and accused Mrs McDonald of "desperately lashing out".
"This not a black and white decision of choosing between hospitals and jobs – for anyone to characterise it as such is foolish," he said.
SDLP Foyle MLA Sinead McLaughlin said it was difficult to describe the executive's performance during the week "as anything but shambolic".
"People are rightly angry and trust in political representatives is at an all time low," she said.
"The executive must produce a comprehensive, economic and societal recovery plan, so we can steer people through this crisis with confidence."
Alliance leader and Justice Minister Naomi Long, who revealed that she considered resigning over the "debacle that took place this week", said the DUP gave people "false hope" by putting a date on when things can reopen.
"I have made it clear to Executive colleagues we can make no promises in the current circumstances other than we will listen to the medical evidence and do our best to balance pressures on the health and economy sectors," she said, adding that she would support further restrictions after November 27 if the medical evidence warranted it.
