As Brexit talks continue Stormont set to discuss exit from lockdown
Last updated 16th Feb 2021
By SARAH MCKINLEY
Stormont Ministers will meet on Thursday to thrash out some important issues.
It is understood Brexit now dominates the agenda on Tuesdays, with covid-19 matters getting more airtime at the Thursday meetings.
No meeting has been scheduled for today so all eyes will be on Thursday for the main Executive meeting of the week.
With a self-imposed deadline of February 18 to have reassessed the current lockdown discussions on next steps will be crucial.
The current lockdown is due to end on March 5, which is little over a fortnight away.
There had been much speculation that this would be extended until Easter.
But, speaking last week, First Minister Arlene Foster said this is a “key decision point for us”.
“When we review the regulations on February the 18th, we need to see the numbers as low as possible so that we can safely plan for gradually emerging from the lockdown,” she said.
Finance Minister Conor Murphy added: “I think, clearly, we will want to collectively as an Executive, not only have a discussion and a review of where we’re at next Thursday, but to set out very quickly a pathway to recovery, which of course will continue to be set out by medical and scientific advice.”
Health Minister Robin Swann has urged caution against coronavirus, as he acknowledged the NI death toll reached 2,000 yesterday.
Minister Swann said: “While we are seeing good progress in the roll-out of our vaccination programme we must remain cautious and cannot be tempted to get ahead of ourselves.
“As I have said before, this is a complex and long-term undertaking and it will be some time before the vaccination programme is rolled out to the majority of the population.
“I’m very aware of the sacrifices that the people of Northern Ireland have made over the course of the last year and the collective effort to make the current lockdown effective. We are now beginning to see the outworking of those sacrifices in a lowering of infection rates but again I must urge caution.
“We need to sustain this reduction in transmission to preserve life and support our health service.”
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has said that he will reveal a roadmap out of lockdown on Monday February 22.
Boris Johnson has said he hopes there “isn't that much longer to go now” with severe lockdown measures.
At Monday’s Downing Street press conference, a member of the public called Hannah, from Glasgow, asked whether the next press conference could feature a mental health specialist.
He replied: “Hannah, I think you're making a very valid point and we will try and find the right person to say something about how to do this and how to encourage everybody to really look after our mental wellbeing and try and keep going through this pandemic.
“Because I hope that there isn't that much longer to go now but clearly people have been under a lot of pressure and we've got to address that.”