Northern Ireland

Covid-19: Michelle O'Neill calls for all-Ireland ban on non-essential journeys

Under the deputy first minister's proposals non-essential journeys would be banned across Ireland. Picture by Hugh Russell
Under the deputy first minister's proposals non-essential journeys would be banned across Ireland. Picture by Hugh Russell Under the deputy first minister's proposals non-essential journeys would be banned across Ireland. Picture by Hugh Russell

Sinn Féin Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill has called for a legal ban on non-essential journeys across the island of Ireland.

Ms O'Neill said the measure should be accompanied by a ban on travel between the island and Britain.

She expressed regret that ministers had not supported her party's proposal for a travel ban at last night's Executive meeting.

Sinn Féin and the SDLP backed a ban but the DUP, Alliance and UUP opposed the measure.

It was unanimously agreed to back plans to issue new guidance against all but essential travel between Northern Ireland, Britain and the Republic.

Ms O'Neill also called on Taoiseach Micheál Martin to work with the Stormont executive on a joined-up approach to prohibiting non-essential journeys through the island.

"We needed to have urgent and immediate action, Sinn Féin proposed that there'd be an outright travel ban from Britain at the executive meeting last night and that didn't enjoy the support of the executive," she said.

"I think that's very unfortunate, very disappointing, particularly given the threat that is now posed because of this new strain, this new virus."

Ms O'Neill told media in Coalisland that the north was an "outlier", given steps to ban travel in other European countries.

"Here we are on the island of Ireland, where one part of the island is shutdown to travel and then another part is not," she added.

"And I just think that's not a good position for us to be in, we're in a very dangerous position."

Ms O'Neill added: "We need an all-Ireland approach, there needs to be an all-Ireland travel ban. That's the best way we can respond to this crisis. That should have been the approach from the outset.

"So I would encourage the taoiseach to work with us, I would encourage the taoiseach to try to get to the point where the whole of the island is shut down to any inbound travellers in order to allow us to try to have the best chance to fight back against this new variant, which, as we know, spreads faster than the current form, we know spreads perhaps four times faster.

"I think that the enormity of that means that we need urgent immediate action on an all-Ireland basis. This is not a political point. This is very much a practical point. This is about saving lives, this is about doing the right thing. This is about protecting the health service. This is far too serious for any kind of politicking in the middle of it."

Ms O'Neill rejected the argument that bans were not appropriate given the likelihood of the variant already being in the island.

"That's like saying when the taps running, let it keep running, let it overflow, let it flood the bathroom," she said.

Asked if she would support a ban on cross-border travel, Ms O'Neill replied: "When it comes to north/south travel, my message to everybody is very, very clear - no-one should travel unless it's essential. No one should make any non-essential journeys.

"Conor Murphy actually in the Executive meeting last night actually proposed that there should be a ban on any non-essential travel north/south, east/west, it should apply across the board."

She added: "I am really fearful for this situation, because this virus is spreading four times faster than the current form and if we have that on a widespread basis our health service is going to collapse. This is not about politics. This is about saving lives. This is about responding to a global pandemic."