Bobby Storey funeral: O'Neill says critics are 'point-scoring'

Northern Ireland's deputy first minister has said criticism of her presence at the funeral of republican Bobby Storey is "political point-scoring".

Earlier First Minister Arlene Foster called for Michelle O'Neill to apologise for her actions.

Ms O'Neill was one of several senior Sinn Féin politicians who was present, along with hundreds of other mourners.

On Wednesday two other parties in the NI executive said she should resign.

Current coronavirus regulations state a maximum of 30 people are allowed to gather together outdoors.

There has been widespread criticism of Ms O'Neill and her party colleagues, including leader Mary Lou McDonald and former leader Gerry Adams, who attended the funeral of Mr Storey, who was considered the head of intelligence of the IRA for a period from the mid-1990s.

All of the other parties which make up Northern Ireland's devolved government along with Sinn Féin - the DUP, UUP, SDLP and Alliance - have criticised Ms O'Neill, with the UUP and Alliance calling for her to resign.

Mrs Foster said she had "undermined" the executive.

Mrs Foster, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), said on Wednesday: "It is quite intolerable now that people think that there are some people to whom the law doesn't apply and that indeed there are some politicians who are saying: 'Do as I say but not as I do'.

"That undermines everything that we have been trying to do.

"She needs to apologise, she needs to recognise the wrong that has been done and she absolutely needs to make amends for what has happened."

Speaking to the Executive Committee at Stormont on Wednesday, Ms O'Neill said: "I am satisfied that my actions are within the regulations and the public health guidance. My actions I stand over.

"I think it is unfortunate that a lot of the charges being levelled towards me are political point-scoring, as opposed to actually being about the rules."

The Sinn Féin vice-president added that she would encourage "anybody to stick within the regulations and the guidance as we have set out.

"We are not out of the woods yet."

However, she did say a photograph that was taken of her and two others at the funeral "shouldn't have happened".

"I'm absolutely okay to say that," she said

She said it happened in the "blink of an eye".

Earlier, she told the Irish News the cortege had a "maximum of 30 people in it" and that the service at St Agnes's Church had been "exemplary" in relation to social distancing and hygiene.

Inside the church only three mourners shared a pew, she said.

The BBC understands about 120 mourners were inside the church

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said on Tuesday it would review footage of the funeral and "consider any suspected breaches of the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) Regulations NI 2020".

Stormont's Finance Minister Conor Murphy and Northern Ireland Assembly members (MLAs) Gerry Kelly and Martina Anderson also attended the funeral.

Sources within the local churches have expressed concern about the deputy first minister's claim that the arrangements for the funeral service for Bobby Storey within St Agnes's Church in West Belfast were "exemplary".

It's understood that in a call last Wednesday with the chief medical officer, chief scientific adviser and two junior ministers, church representatives were told that the change in rules enabling social distancing at regular religious services did not apply to funerals, weddings and baptisms.

A letter published on the executive website summarised the latest guidance on social distancing for places of worship passed on to the faith leaders.

However the letter states that "weddings, baptisms and funerals are not covered by the advice below. The executive will consider this further early next week."

It's understood the churches then advised other families planning funerals for this week that the maximum attendance for funerals of 10 people remained in place.

After the TV pictures of Bobby Storey's funeral emerged, it's believed the Bishop of Down and Connor Noel Treanor sought clarity from the executive.

It's believed church leaders were sent new guidance last night, marked "draft" which extends the social distancing rule to funeral services.

However this guidance was not communicated to the churches prior to Bobby Storey's funeral and its status remains uncertain.

Justice Minister Naomi Long, leader of the Alliance Party, said on Wednesday: "In any other system of government the deputy first minister's position would be untenable.

"She should reflect on her position, as she has undermined the authority of her office by doing huge damage to the respect people have for the rules."

On Tuesday, NI Health Minister Robin Swann said no-one was exempt from the regulations.

Mr Swann said he hoped "this isn't the Dominic Cummings effect in Northern Ireland because quite frankly our health service can't afford it to be".

"There is no person, or position, or point of privilege that is above the guidance we had laid down, no one is immune from it," he said.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said: "Today's [Tuesday's] display showed a blatant disregard for the sacrifices made by so many."

In the assembly, Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister said the executive's credibility had been undermined by the appearance of the deputy first minister and other MLAs "in flagrant breach, it would appear, of some of those regulations".

There have been a number of events which have been criticised for attracting crowds during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In May, a senior police officer said there had been social-distancing breaches at funerals in both the unionist and nationalist communities.

Earlier in June, protestors at Black Lives Matter rallies in Belfast and Londonderry were fined, while several hundred people took part in a "save our statues" rally at Belfast City Hall.

Mr Storey died at the age of 64 following a period of illness.

Security sources linked him to several major incidents, including the £26m Northern Bank robbery in 2004.