By PA media
The Northern Ireland Executive has started an emergency meeting.
It comes after four of the five power-sharing parties called for a meeting of the Executive to discuss the new strain of Covid-19 found in England.
Government ministers from Sinn Fein, the Alliance Party and the SDLP issued a joint request for an Executive meeting to be held on Sunday.
It is also understood the Assembly will be recalled tomorrow to allow Minister for Education Peter Weir to face questions about schools reopening.
Mr Weir confirmed on Friday that all schools and education settings would reopen in the first week of January, however he is facing mounting calls to review the decision.
Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle, who is chair of the education committee, called for the Assembly to sit this week.
He tweeted on Sunday: “It is my understanding that the Education Minister has accepted the need to give a statement on the safety of and contingency for school restart, transfer tests and examinations in January at the Assembly tomorrow. Speaker confirmation pending.”
In a letter seen by PA news agency, the three ministers raised concerns about the more infectious coronavirus variant found in England.
“The speed and scale of the virus transmission spread and the fact that it is so fast-moving is a cause for alarm to us all,” they said.
“While our Executive met last Thursday and moved to take decisions ahead of others, it would be prudent for the full Executive to be briefed by the Minister of Heath and the chief medical officer and chief scientific officer at the earliest opportunity.
“We must satisfy ourselves that our regulations and restrictions over the Christmas period and those agreed over the coming six week period are sufficiently robust enough to safeguard public health in the context of these latest developments.”
Travel restrictions have already been announced in the Republic:
Ban on flights to Republic from GB “For at least 48 hours...In response to the identification of a new strain of Covid-19 in the South-East of England...There will be close coordination with the Northern Ireland authorities."
— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) December 20, 2020
Irish government statement: pic.twitter.com/1wdw25nXky
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