Sinn Féin Ministers criticised for attending large funeral of former IRA leader Bobby Storey in west Belfast
Sinn Féin Ministers have been criticised for attending a large funeral of the former IRA leader Bobby Storey in west Belfast which attracted several thousand mourners.
Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill, Finance minister Conor Murphy, Sinn Féin president Mary-Lou McDonald and former Sinn Fein chief Gerry Adams were among those who took part.
The police have been asked to investigate after crowds gathered on the Andersonstown Road on Tuesday morning for the funeral.
Mr Storey died earlier this month at the age of 64 following an unsuccessful lung transplant.
The Health Minister claims the scale of the funeral was in clear breach of guidelines to the public to socially distance.
Stormont’s Covid-19 media conference was dominated by the issue on Tuesday where the health minister warned the presence of Sinn Féin's leaders at the funeral must not become Northern Ireland's "Dominic Cummings moment."
Robin Swann said the scenes in west Belfast on Tuesday, where roadsides were packed with people as the cortege carrying Bobby Storey passed by, was a clear breach of Stormont restrictions limiting public gatherings to 30 people.
Police have confirmed they will review footage taken at the funeral to consider any suspected breaches of the current coronavirus regulations which limit the size of public gatherings.
At the briefing Mr Swann was asked if the incident could lead the public to question the point of abiding by the rules - the way some people did after the Prime Minister's top adviser Mr Cummings was accused of breaching regulations during a trip to the north west of England during lockdown.
"I'm concerned with what I saw this morning in west Belfast," he said.
"What we are seeing today was a breach of the guidance that has been issued and has been worked on by the executive and has been supported by the Executive."
He added: "I sincerely hope that this isn't the Dominic Cummings effect in Northern Ireland because in our health service we can't afford it to be.
"We are in a position in Northern Ireland where we had zero deaths today, with zero people in our intensive care units because of the actions of the people of Northern Ireland.
"So I have a very clear ask - please don't let this weaken your resolve or your ability to follow the guidance that have gotten us to the position where we are today."
Mr Swann urged people to continue to comply with the guidance, making clear that "two wrongs don't make a right".
"There's no person, no position or there's no point of privilege that is above the guidance and the regulations that we have laid down in how we combat Covid-19 in Northern Ireland," he said.
"Because there's no one immune from it and that is the guidance we still have to keep reiterating, and I do hope that what we saw today does not undermine the public message that has worked so well in Northern Ireland, that has actually got us to the position where we are today."
Mr Swann warned if there is an upsurge in the virus, similar to that witnessed in Leicester, local regional lockdowns could occur.
Ulster Unionist MLA Doug Beattie contrasted Deputy First Minister Ms O'Neill's public utterances on limiting numbers at funerals to her attendance at Tuesday's event.
"Having watched families unable to attend funerals or be with their loved one as they passed away I think this undermines the credibility of our Executive Office," he tweeted.
Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister said Ms O'Neill's position was no longer tenable.
"In light of the fact that Ms O'Neill is today present with many hundreds of others at the funeral of Bobby Storey her position is untenable," he said.
"Her conduct is grossly offensive and insulting to the many law-abiding people who have made the huge sacrifice of foregoing a normal funeral as they said farewell to family members who died recently."