Ministers Back Robin Swann's Proposal To Remove Covid restrictions

Ministers Back Robin Swann's Proposal To Remove Covid restrictions

Northern Ireland, Health Minister Robin Swann has received support from other executive ministers to ease Covid-19 limits.

Mr Swann wrote to his ministerial colleagues, seeking their input on how to remove the remaining constraints.

Although the executive branch of the government dissolved in February, individual ministers remain in place.

They have the authority to make decisions as long as the concerns are not judged "significant or contentious."

Government lawyers warned Mr Swann that lowering Covid rules would fall under this category, according to his letter to fellow ministers.

According to the attorneys, he won't be able to repeal the guidelines on his own because of Stormont's ministerial code.

Because of the joint character of the office, the full executive cannot convene because Paul Givan resigned as first minister, requiring Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill to resign as well.

Mr Givan's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has been protesting the Northern Ireland Protocol for some time.

In the absence of the full executive, Mr Swann's letter to the remaining ministers is an attempt to get broader support to reduce limitations.

Ministers from the DUP, Sinn Féin, SDLP, and Alliance are said to have confirmed their support for Mr Swann, who is a member of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP).

Mr Swann had been assured by Justice Minister Naomi Long that pushing further on the matter would not be "controversial" provided it was in accordance with official health advice.


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