Stormont split over when children should return to school

The criteria for carers booking coronavirus vaccinations may be "open to abuse" but a number of MLAs have insisted the Department of Health have got the process right.

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Subscribe              Feb 23, 2021           Dear reader, The Stormont Assembly looks to be riven with division over when all children will return to the classroom in Northern Ireland.  After Arlene Foster intervened on Monday night to say that the date for schools returning should be revisited in light of Boris Johnson's announcement in England, Tuesday brought a further frank exchange of views.  Former Stormont minister Edwin Poots, and his fellow DUP MLA Paul Givan, both questioned the decision of the Executive to delay the return of schools here.  Education Minister Peter Weir had previously indicated that he was in favour of all children returning on March 8 as they are doing in England. However, he claims that view wasn't supported by the other political parties.  On Tuesday afternoon Northern Ireland's chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride, who has previously spoken about Covid-19 restrictions lasting for another year, said he remains of the view that schools should return in a "stepwise process". It  also emerged on Tuesday that the so-called South African variant of coronavirus has been detected in Northern Ireland, with three confirmed cases.  Encouragingly, the number of new cases of Covid-19 remains comparatively low here, with another 225 infections detected in the last 24 hours.  Sadly, there were another five Covid-19 related deaths.    Alistair Bushe   Editor   * Want total access to all of our online content? You can subscribe to our website, newsletter.co.uk for just £1 a month for 3 months - and it couldn't be easier.   Signing up will get you faster-loading articles, fewer adverts and access to exclusive content and events when we run them. To learn more, visit our Subscriptions page here               Vaccine booking for carers 'right approach' despite abuse concerns           The criteria for carers booking coronavirus vaccinations may be "open to abuse" but a number of MLAs have insisted the Department of Health have got the process right.                 Stormont told: Give us a plan like Boris to reopen Northern Ireland   The Northern Ireland Executive has been told to "follow in the prime minister's lead" and produce a timeline, including dates, for reopening society and business.           Five Covid-19 related deaths in last 24 hours - daily infection rate continues to drop   The Department of Health (DoH) recorded an additional five Covid-19 related deaths in Northern Ireland in the last 24 hours.           South Africa variant detected in Northern Ireland: Three confirmed cases   Three confirmed cases of the South African variant of Covid-19 have been detected in Northern Ireland, the Department of Health has said..           When will you get the coronavirus vaccine? New online calculator for NI shows 'queue' and gives estimated date   A new online calculator, created by a physicist in England, can show people in Northern Ireland when they should expect to get their coronavirus vaccinations.           This is when the furlough scheme is due to end - and if it could be extended   The furlough scheme has been championed as protecting millions of jobs across the UK since it was introduced at the start of the Covid pandemic.                 View more news

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