SDLP party leader Colum Eastwood has said that politics rather than science were driving the decision of the Stormont Executive to lift restrictions later this week.
This was happening because DUP leader Arlene Foster had said “we would open up after four weeks,” he told RTÉ radio’s News at One.
"It's a mess, politics are driving this rather than science."
The Northern Ireland Executive is due to meet this afternoon to decide whether to extend the Covid-19 restrictions for another two weeks.
The current measures were due to be lifted on Friday, but public health officials had advised against the reopening of bars and restaurants.
Mr Eastwood said that two more weeks of restrictions were needed to get the virus under control.
He also said it was not good practice that political parties, other than the DUP and Sinn Féin, had to learn of moves to go ahead with the lifting of restrictions on television at the weekend.
“It's very strange that Sinn Féin in the Republic says to follow the scientific advice, but not in Northern Ireland.”
Mr Eastwood said that previously Sinn Féin had been calling for an all island approach but the party in the north was now “casting that aside.”
“It is total nonsense to say it's now ok to open up and lift restrictions. The scientific advice is overwhelmingly to keep restrictions for a few more weeks.”
