Michelle O’Neill rejects claim she breached Covid-19 rules at Bobby Storey funeral

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Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland Michelle O’Neill has said she stands over her presence at the funeral of former IRA member Bobby Storey, which appeared to breach regulations on social distancing and numbers of attendees at funeral Masses

On Wednesday evening, the diocese of Down and Connor issued a statement clarifying that at the time of the funeral the rules were that only 10 people were permitted inside the church for the funeral Mass, and that notification of changes to the guidance was not received until after the funeral, on Tuesday evening.

Asked by DUP MLA Christopher Stalford why she had attended the funeral when other family members had not been able to, Ms O’Neill replied: “I don’t think it’s for you to decide or to determine or to be any sort of arbiter as to what funeral I may or may not attend. The committee chair, the SDLP’s Colin McGrath, said there seemed to be “one set of rules for some people and different set of rules for other people, and that’s very difficult for people to digest”. He asked Ms O’Neill: “Have you considered, can you discharge the role of joint head of government with any authority after this?”Sinn Féin MLA Martina Anderson, who also attended Mr Storey’s funeral, defended her party colleague, saying “Michelle, you had to be there yesterday.

 

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