DUP politician defends Stormont's handling of Covid pandemic
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BBC Diane Dodds says most decisions were taken "without any controversy"
A Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MLA has defended the executive's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic saying the "vast majority" of decisions were taken "without any controversy or any real issues whatsoever". Diane Dodds, who was economy minister for a time during the pandemic, was responding to the report by the UK Covid-19 Inquiry. The inquiry found that decision making in Northern Ireland "was chaotic, and infected by political machination". Chair Baroness Heather Hallett said "insufficient attention" was given to the prospect of a second wave of the virus, with only limited contingency planning in place for reintroducing restrictions.
'Marred by political disputes between DUP and Sinn Féin ministers'
Pacemaker
Baroness Hallett said the relationships between ministers were "poor" and "detrimental to good decision making". On "multiple occasions" decision making was "marred by political disputes between DUP and Sinn Féin ministers," she said.
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