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Covid-19 restrictions will be extended for one week in Northern Ireland, sources said.<\/p>\nCovid-19 restrictions will be extended for one week in Northern Ireland, sources said.<\/p>\n
Some areas of the locked down hospitality sectors will partly reopen next Friday.<\/p>\n
The Democratic Unionists and ministers from smaller parties in Stormont backed the proposal made by Economy Minister Diane Dodds.<\/p>\n
Sinn F\u00e9in voted against and the nationalist SDLP abstained after days of wrangling which have left businesses in limbo.<\/p>\n
The PA news service reported that the partial reopening of the hospitality sector next Friday will include:<\/p>\n
A Sinn F\u00e9in source said the party voted against the proposals because it ran contrary to the guidance from Stormont\u2019s medical and scientific advisers to extend the circuit-break in its entirety for two weeks.<\/p>\n
It is understood Health Minister Robin Swann backed the proposal as a way to avoid all the regulations lapsing at midnight on Friday.<\/p>\n
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said: \u201cToday the Executive agreed to a two week extension of the regulations with coffee shops, cafes and close contact services opening a week earlier.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile the SDLP was pleased that the additional financial support we have been pushing for was also agreed, SDLP Minister Nichola Mallon abstained on the vote as she could not in good conscience support measures that fell short of protecting against plunging us into more restrictions just before Christmas \u2013 even two weeks would have risked that.\u201d<\/p>\n