LISTEN: Arlene Foster defends DUP's use of cross-community veto after fractious Executive talks

By PA Reporter and Q Radio News

Arlene Foster has addressed the DUP’s use of the cross-community veto during last week’s fractious Executive talks.

Her party used the peace process mechanism designed to ensure one community could not be overruled by the other to defeat Health Minister Robin Swann’s proposal for a two-week extension of the hospitality circuit break.

She told the Assembly it was one of a number of protections built into the system to try to seek consensus but admitted it was a fairly “blunt tool”.

“It is lawful that that is used and any impression created that the requirement only applies to unionist or nationalist issues is entirely bogus and is at odds with the Northern Ireland Act.”

She accused some of wanting to apportion blame but said she hoped future decisions could be made without resorting to it.

The First Minister was answering questions in the Assembly about the Executive’s pandemic decision-making after an eleventh-hour vote in favour of maintaining restrictions for a further week.

She repeated: “It was a very difficult and torturous week.”

She said ministers’ “balanced and proportionate” decisions also recognised that people needed to be able to earn a living.

Arlene Foster speaking in the Stormont Assembly

“Otherwise they will fall into poverty and health outcomes that are very bad as well.”

She rejected suggestions from Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister that powersharing did not work.

Sadly, no DUP appetite to change failed system of government pic.twitter.com/JpHUHGguMl

— Jim Allister (@JimAllister) November 16, 2020

“I do not make apology for trying to get to a balanced and proportionate place, and I think that has been where people want us to get to as well.”

Arlene Foster also said people breaking the coronavirus rules should be called out.

Stormont’s First Minister backed tougher enforcement and more resourcing as Northern Ireland struggles to bring infection rates under control.

She said: “It is common cause across the Executive that if we need to put further resources in to dealing with this issue we will try and do that.

“It is important that we see people called out who are simply going about rule-breaking and not listening to the messaging around why it is important to be Covid-secure.

“We will want to continuously look at that issue.”