Health Minister says NI Executive ignored advice on Common Travel Area
The Northern Ireland Executive ignored warnings from health chiefs not to relax travel restrictions within the Common Travel Area last month, the Health Minister has said.
On 27 May, the Executive removed the requirement to self-isolate for those visiting or returning to Northern Ireland from within the CTA.
Robin Swann says he advised executive colleagues to hold off on removing the guidance until the impact of easing of lockdown restrictions a few days earlier could be assessed.
In a written answer to the Assembly, Mr Swann said delaying the easement of travel guidance would have "allowed time for greater vaccination roll-out and minimising any potential for community transmission".
He added: "The Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Scientific Adviser advised that the removal of the guidance on self-isolation following intra CTA travel would accelerate the introduction of the B1.617.2 variant (Delta variant) into Northern Ireland."
It comes amid increasing concern over the spread of the Delta variant in the region.
It is believed that more than half of coronavirus cases in Northern Ireland are now linked to the Delta variant.
Last week, the Chief Medical Officer warned that Delta - which was first discovered in India - was likely to become the dominant variant of concern in Northern Ireland by the start of July.
Mobile vaccination units are to be deployed to try to make access to vaccines easier for some age groups.
The number of Covid-19 cases has begun to rise, but hospital admissions currently remain low.