Vaccine passports will help deliver safer Christmas in Northern Ireland, says SDLP MLA

An SDLP MLA has called on the Executive to end the “mixed messaging” and work to implement vaccine certification for Northern Ireland.

Matthew O’Toole, whose party was among the first to call for the introduction of a vaccine passport scheme for Northern Ireland, said on Sunday that vaccine certification was one of the ways to ensure a safer Christmas.

Mr O’Toole said it would have been better to have introduced the scheme several weeks ago.

Earlier this week, a majority of Stormont ministers backed the introduction of a Covid certification scheme, despite DUP opposition.

It will see legal enforcement of coronavirus status entry requirements for nightclubs, bars, restaurants and a range of other settings from December 13.

Under the compulsory certification scheme, people wishing to gain entry to designated venues would need to demonstrate evidence of Covid-19 vaccination, a negative lateral flow test result, or proof of a coronavirus infection within the previous six months.

SDLP minister Nichola Mallon had been calling for vaccine passports for two months.

“We were a day late and a dollar short, so we should have moved earlier but the important thing is to get it implemented and implemented in a way that protects the health service but is also as seamless as possible for the businesses affected,” Mr O’Toole told BBC NI’s Sunday Politics programme.

He was critical of “mixed messaging” around the Executive table and accused the DUP of allowing senior members to undermine public health guidance during the pandemic.

He also rejected claims that his party was at cross-purposes over mandatory jabs for healthcare workers.

Mr O’Toole admitted that it was possible to identify inconsistencies in the use of vaccine certification, but said that this had been the case with various measures since the pandemic began.

“The point is that once a set of mitigations are proposed, and there’s no perfect set of mitigations, this is a pandemic and it’s moving quickly.

“This is a once-in-a-century, highly infectious disease, which has claimed the lives of thousands of people in Northern Ireland and millions of people across the world.

“Officials have to take decisions in real time.

“So it’s true that it will always be possible to pick out anomalies and apparently consistencies.”

He said that he wanted a safer Christmas than last year and that it was important that consultation takes place with the hospitality sector.

“What we want to see this Christmas is a situation in which hospitality can open as widely as possible for as many people as possible.

“I want to be able to go for a pint this Christmas.

“I want my constituents, the many great hospitality businesses, restaurants and pubs in south Belfast to be able to open in as big a way as possible.”