Executive meeting to decide whether NI businesses can re-open at end of circuit-breaker
Last updated 3rd Dec 2020
The First and Deputy First Ministers say they are aiming to make a decision today (Thursday) on whether the current restrictions will end next week.
An Executive meeting is scheduled to discuss the lockdown which is due to end in Northern Ireland on December, 11.
Close contact services and non essential retail were instructed to shut for two weeks in a bid to reduce the R number and the rate of infection.
At a press briefing on Wednesday, Downtown Cool FM asked Arlene Foster if she accepted that the lack of notice given to businesses during the last round of talks was far from ideal:
"I think on occasions throughout this pandemic things have not been ideal and we fully accept that that has been the case," she said.
"What we are hoping to do... is to have that full discussion about the ending of the current two week restrictions which happens the following Thursday evening so that we can be clear with all of the businesses that are currently closed.
"We know that there are many of them waiting to hear can they open again on the 11th and we want to give them that clarity and how can they open, what mitigations do they have to put in place and what is the guidance.
"Our hope and desire is to be able to say more about that."