Internal Party Chaos Being Put Over The Needs Of Ordinary People - SF

Sinn Féin has said more talk of instability from the DUP shows they are putting internal party chaos over the needs of ordinary people.

Speaking after comments made by Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart in Westminster, John O'Dowd said: "More talk of instability by Carla Lockhart MP is just another example of the DUP’s reckless and irresponsible approach to government and people's lives.

"Her comments in Westminster point up the DUP’s inability to accept democratic decisions in the Assembly where they are increasingly an outlier as a result of their opposition to rights and progressive social and economic policies, and an inability to accept the will of the people in elections.

"It has become increasingly clear that the DUP are in a panic about poor poll results and internal party chaos and have little or no interest in the needs of ordinary people.

"The DUP don’t speak for the majority of people in the north on Brexit or the Protocol.

"It's also ironic that the DUP are now issuing warnings to the British government over implementing an Irish language and culture package which the DUP themselves signed up to in January 2020 along with other parties.

"The negative and dishonest sabre-rattling needs to end."

Call For Clarity Over Booster Vaccine

The Alliance Party has called on the Minister for Health to clarify if Carers can receive their COVID vaccine booster in phase one of the roll out.

In September MLA Kellie Armstrong had written to the Minister to ask if unpaid Carers would be able to get their booster at the same time as the people they care for. The Minister confirmed this was indeed the case. However, when Health Department graphics appeared on social media, Carers were left off the list.

She said: "Carers are fed up with mixed messaging. In September the Minister confirmed boosters would be available for people in groups 1-9 in phase one. Adult Carers are clearly included. Yet now Carers are not listed in the Department’s public communications on boosters. If Carers can get their booster, then call them to come forward to get their booster.

"Carers have faced far too many disappointments. In January the Minister announced a Carers Covid Payment, but by late spring admitted he could not make any payment to Carers. Exhausted Carers were disappointed again when respite and day centre care remained limited even though pubs and nightclubs were able to fully reopen.

"It's time Carers and Caring was made more visible. This is why I have started a petition calling for a National Register of Carers in Northern Ireland. By having a National register it means government will be able to identify Carers and the thousands of Carers will at last be formally recognised as a clear cohort of people. Carers are a significant group of people whose voices are not being listened to and who are persistently being left out. This has to stop."

'The Protocol Continues To Deny People In NI' - Donaldson

DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has said the Northern Ireland Protocol is denying equal access to vital drugs across the United Kingdom and those who demanded its 'rigorous implementation' were in effect supporting 'second-tier' NHS for Northern Ireland.

Sir Jeffrey said: "The Protocol continues to deny people in Northern Ireland the same level of access to medicines as people in the rest of the United Kingdom.

"Because Northern Ireland is removed from the rest of the United Kingdom and Great Britain deemed a 'third country' the availability of drugs will reduce and prices will increase. The regulatory burden will mean that many of the cheaper generic medicines currently available in our supermarkets will not be on sale here because it is not economically viable for companies to licence those for sale in Northern Ireland.

"We were told that the Protocol was necessary to protect the Belfast Agreement yet the reality of its implementation is to block vital medicines and deprive patients of critical treatment. The National Health Service poses absolutely no threat to the European Single Market, yet those who demanded "rigorous implementation" of the NI Protocol were in effect advocating a second-tier NHS for Northern Ireland with reduced availability of vital drugs.

"This situation cannot be allowed to continue and it adds to the mounting evidence on the damaging nature of the Protocol right across every aspect of life in Northern Ireland."