Whatever the reliability of the figures, it seems possible that the Republic has been managing Covid 19 better – or has been luckier- than Northern Ireland. Whether this can be accounted for by the incubus of UK delay and the complexity of a bigger country with an older average population will emerge from the inevitable spate of inquiries. But north -south coordination and cooperation over phasing out lockdown would seem to be essential. And yet so little has emerged about it.
I’m completely puzzled. Fionnuala O’Connor ponders the theme this morning, without coming to firm conclusions. I’m on her wavelength.
I don’t know what to make of the fact that aside from politicians, calls for an all-island coronavirus plan were limited to a couple of experts.
Was this because all the others were inhibited by politics or didn’t think it mattered all that much? Or by March it was too late anyway? Equally odd is that the memo of understanding between the two sides has produced virtually nothing by way of joint cooperation over plans for easing lockdown and contact tracing and testing- rather the reverse. The North complains they received no notice of the south’s graduated lockdown release plan. Maybe this will change over the next few days and weeks but I’m not holding my breath. We’re warned that the north’s plan due imminently may contain “ no dates” How will that work for cross border travel?
Why is there so little pressure to debate this properly, from the south as well as the north? Is it because of fears it would quickly degenerate into a sectarian wrangle in the north? Or that the south is basically indifferent?
Former BBC journalist and manager in Belfast, Manchester and London, Editor Spolight; Political Editor BBC NI; Current Affairs Commissioning editor BBC Radio 4; Editor Political and Parliamentary Programmes, BBC Westminster; former London Editor Belfast Telegraph. Hon Senior Research Fellow, The Constitution Unit, Univ Coll. London
