25 March 2021
NI Health Minister, Robin Swann, has confirmed that the Northern Ireland Executive has no plans to follow in the footsteps of England, by introducing fines for people taking unnecessary overseas trips.
Mr Swann made the comments during his weekly coronavirus media briefing at Stormont.
“It’s not a direction of travel that we would be going on at this point in time in the Executive,” he said.
The new Covid rules will include a ban on leaving the UK without a reasonable excuse – with a fine of £5,000 for those breaking the rule.
MPs will vote on the laws – officially titled the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Steps) (England) Regulations 2021 – today (March 25).
If approved they would come into effect next Monday (March 29).
