Responding to the announcement by the EU Commission that ‘flight and train bans should be discontinued given the need to ensure essential travel and avoid supply chain disruptions’, Ulster Unionist leader, Steve Aiken OBE MLA, said:
“Once again, Sinn Fein's attempts to play politics with a pandemic have rebounded on them. The attempt to rush headlong towards a travel ban was reckless, given that no contingency measures were proposed to safeguard essential medical and food supplies, and protect essential travel.
“Events are already starting to leave Sinn Fein behind. In a decisive intervention, the EU Commission has recommended a halt to travel bans, with the emphasis instead to be placed on discouraging non-essential travel. That's the exact position the Northern Ireland Executive has adopted.
“In addition, the Irish Government has now publicly acknowledged that the new variant of Covid-19 is most likely already in the Republic, given the surge in its cases.
“This is not a time for political stunts or attempts to drive a further wedge between Executive parties.
“A cynic might conclude that Sinn Fein are simply trying to kick up more dust in an attempt to distract from the ongoing fall-out from the Bobby Storey funeral.”