Michelle O'Neill has hit out at health minister Robin Swann after claiming he asked for coronavirus help from the British army without consulting his executive colleagues.
Mr Swann has asked the army for help in distributing life-saving equipment during the pandemic.
He also asked the Ministry of Defence for help in setting up a Nightingale hospital at the former Maze Prison site.
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The coronavirus hospital, which is expected to deal with a second wave of patients after the restrictions on movement are eventually lifted, would be housed in the exhibition complex normally used to host the Balmoral Show.
The deputy First Minister said Mr Swann had "unilaterally and without consultation with Executive colleagues requested limited assistance from British Army".
The Sinn Féin MLA said the issue was not raised at yesterday's Executive meeting.
“Sinn Féin has made it clear we will not rule out any measure necessary to save lives, protect the public and tackle the spread of coronavirus," she said.
“However, no proposal to use British military personnel in the north for roles normally performed by civilians has come before the Executive."
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood today tweeted that he supported any move to get essential equipment to hospitals.
"15 people died of Coronvirus overnight in the North," he wrote.
"I'll support anything that gets PPE and ventilators to where it needs to go. Let's stop playing politics and do whatever it takes to save lives."
Ms O'Neill said she had raised the issue directly with Secretary of State Brandon Lewis.
“The health minister has a responsibility to exhaust all options, including the use of other blue light public services and civilian contractors, to ensure that ventilators and life saving equipment are moved swiftly to where they are needed most," she said.
“The Department for Health has already contracted a local civilian contractor to scope out building a HSC-led civilian 'field hospital’.
“It remains Sinn Féin’s position that any proposed new Nightingale hospital should remain under the care and control of the HSC."
She said her party wants an urgent meeting with Mr Swann "on his failure to consult ministerial colleagues at yesterday’s Executive meeting".
“We will also be seeking meetings with the British Secretary of State, the Tanáiste and the PSNI given the seriousness of a decision to bring in the British military.”
So far, 92 people in the north have died from coronavirus out of 1,589 confirmed cases.
The first Nightingale centre - a dedicated coronavirus facility - has been set up in the tower block in Belfast City Hospital.
Mr Swann said the time had come to ask the Ministry of Defence for help.
“I believe the army’s skills and logistical expertise could assist with the redistribution of essential life-saving equipment across Northern Ireland to ensure that all hospitals have the materials and resources required to fully enact their surge plans," he said.
Mr Swann said he hoped the decision to ask the army for help is not "considered divisive".
"I have said a number of times over recent weeks that at the end of this pandemic there will be only one thing that divides us – and that is those of us that are still alive and those that have sadly passed away," he said.
