Covid-19: Stormont Executive limits NI Christmas bubbles to one day
- Published
The Stormont Executive has agreed that Christmas bubbles in Northern Ireland should be limited to one day - Christmas Day, BBC News NI understands.
Ministers met remotely on Sunday night to discuss the new coronavirus variant and Christmas rules.
There is expected to be some flexibility around which day people come together to accommodate those who have to work on Christmas Day,
The meeting also focused on travel from GB to NI, but nothing was agreed.
The planned relaxation of Covid-19 rules in England, Scotland and Wales was cut from the previously agreed five days to just one on Saturday.
It wouldn't be Stormont without a Christmas crisis - of sorts.
Ministers know that the Christmas promises they made to people have to be broken - and there was an acknowledgment around the virtual executive table that they will face a backlash.
But leading in a pandemic means governments can't always be popular - and decisions the executive may have to take in the next 24 hours on travel into NI could cause even greater upset.
More to follow.