THE Stormont Executive has agreed that Christmas bubbles in the North of Ireland should be limited to one day.
Ministers met remotely on Sunday night to discuss the impact of a new more infectious variant on Christmas rules.
The Executive said there would be flexibility on which day between 23 and 27 December people come together, to accommodate those working on Christmas Day.
The meeting also focused on travel from GB to the North of Ireland, but nothing was agreed.
Health Minister Robin Swann is to consult with the Attorney General here about the legality of a ban on travel from Britain.
The Republic is one of a number of European countries that have imposed travel bans on the UK.
It is understood Sinn Féin proposed prohibiting travel from Great Britain into Northern Ireland and said it should be a matter of priority.
However, the DUP’s position was that anyone living in the areas most affected by the new variant have been placed under Tier 4 restrictions and are not meant to travel.
The planned relaxation of Covid-19 rules in England, Scotland and Wales was cut from the previously agreed five days to just one on Saturday.
The Stormont Executive has agreed that Christmas bubbles in Northern Ireland should be limited to one day.
Ministers met remotely on Sunday night to discuss the impact of a new more infectious variant on Christmas rules.
The Executive said there would be flexibility on which day between 23 and 27 December people come together, to accommodate those working on Christmas Day.
The meeting also focused on travel from GB to NI, but nothing was agreed.
Health Minister Robin Swann is to consult with Northern Ireland’s Attorney General about the legality of a ban on travel from Britain.
The Republic of Ireland is one of a number of European countries that have imposed travel bans on the UK.
A new six-week lockdown for Northern Ireland, coming into force at 00:01 am on Boxing Day, December 26, was announced last Thursday.
After restrictions were tightened in the rest of the UK, a statement from the first, deputy first and health ministers urged people to “think seriously about their plans for Christmas, and to now consider limiting their coming together to Christmas Day only”.
On Sunday, four of the five main Stormont parties asked for an urgent executive meeting.
Sinn Féin, the SDLP and Alliance sent a joint letter to the first and deputy first ministers asking to meet.
In the letter, the parties said they must satisfy themselves that the regulations and restrictions over Christmas and the six-week lockdown from 26 December are “sufficiently robust” to safeguard public health.
It is understood health minister and UUP member Robin Swann sent a separate letter with similar concerns.
The health minister is to give a statement in the Assembly at midday on Monday.
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