Robin Swann EXTENDS powers of Coronavirus Act by six months

The legal powers to bring in Covid restrictions in Northern Ireland, are being extended for another six months.

The legal powers were due to expire on Saturday, that's after having already been extended for six months.

In a statement Robin Swann: "I have no plans and certainly no desire to introduce any further restrictions. I am extremely hopeful that the question will not arise, given the trajectory of the pandemic, the success of our vaccination campaign and the effective COVID-19 treatments now available through the health service.

"Furthermore, there is at the very least considerable uncertainty as to whether I would have the power to unilaterally introduce fresh restrictions, in the absence of an Executive.

"It is one thing to retain the powers to make regulations, it would be another matter entirely to decide to use such powers.

"The choice is whether to allow the powers to lapse at this stage, or to retain them as an option should they be required at some point in the future."

Full statement here.