For bobby storey, the former sinn fein chairman who was linked to several major incidents when he was a member of the ira. He died injune 2020 and critics have suggested social distancing was not maintained at the funeral. Michelle oneill is now giving evidence. Lets have a listen in. To evidence. Lets have a listen in. If . Those first evidence. Lets have a listen in. To those first months of the pandemic, in order to understand what government in Northern Ireland was doing to respond, and i want to start with what you say about this in your witness statement, please, and if we could go to page nine, paragraph 29. Paragraph 29, just to orientate us in time. This was the 25th of february. I will come back to that strategic review. Butjust looking at paragraph 30 and what you say there, at this time, the time period you are talking about, the Department Of Health remained the lead department in responding to the predicted global pandemic. Staff had stood up ccg and i will come back to that, and were involved in official level meetings from the 20th Of February. Then you set out a submission that you received and i will go to that. But you say this. The Ccg Structures were still operating at an official level as department of Health Officials had not yet activated the arrangements. In line with the contingency protocols. At this point in time and civil contingency were still operating at a proprietary and official level of the Executive Committee had no direct role in overseeing the response. However ministers were being raped and ready to step in as and when needed. Were being briefed. First of all, it wasnt for department of Health Officials to activate niccma, was it . I officials to activate niccma, was it . ,. , officials to activate niccma, was it . , , it . I believe it was because there were, in terms it . I believe it was because there were, in terms of it . I believe it was because there were, in terms of the it . I believe it was because there were, in terms of the lead were, in terms of the lead department and all correspondence we received department and all correspondence we received at department and all correspondence we received at that point, made it very clear received at that point, made it very clear that received at that point, made it very clear that health with the lead department and i also believe that some department and i also believe that some of department and i also believe that some of the information you have explored some of the information you have explored points to the fact that health explored points to the fact that health were resisting niccma being stood health were resisting niccma being stood up health were resisting niccma being stood up and hadnt indicated that we were stood up and hadnt indicated that we were at stood up and hadnt indicated that we were at the stage yet where that would we were at the stage yet where that would be we were at the stage yet where that would be helpful. | we were at the stage yet where that would be helpful. Would be helpful. I will take this one step at would be helpful. I will take this one step at a would be helpful. I will take this one step at a time would be helpful. I will take this one step at a time and would be helpful. I will take this one step at a time and i would be helpful. I will take this one step at a time and i will would be helpful. I will take this one step at a time and i will ask| one step at a time and i will ask you to perhaps base your answers on what you understood at the time as opposed to evidence that you have heard in this inquiry. Working out what you have said, the structures were still operating at an official level as department of Health Officials had not yet activated niccma arrangements. Are you familiar with the 2016 vertical for Civil Contingencies Arrangements in Northern Ireland . I Civil Contingencies Arrangements in Northern Ireland . Civil contingencies arrangements in Northern Ireland . I am. Then you will know that Northern Ireland . I am. Then you will know that it Northern Ireland . I am. Then you will know that it was Northern Ireland . I am. Then you will know that it was completely within your powers or those of the Executive Office to be able to activate those arrangements. Do you agree . I activate those arrangements. Do you arree . ~. ,. , activate those arrangements. Do you arree . ~. , , agree . I think again in context i think we have agree . I think again in context i think we have to agree . I think again in context i think we have to be agree . I think again in context i think we have to be very agree . I think again in context i think we have to be very clear. Agree . I think again in context i i think we have to be very clear that all advice think we have to be very clear that all advice was very clear and remember we have no other specialised advice, it all sat within specialised advice, it all sat within the Department Of Health. We were told within the Department Of Health. We were told by the head of the Civil Service, were told by the head of the Civil Service, by were told by the head of the Civil Service, by everybody we engaged with, service, by everybody we engaged with. Any service, by everybody we engaged with, any correspondence we had, that health with, any correspondence we had, that health with the lead department and that that health with the lead department and that at that point they were leading and that at that point they were leading the charge if you like in terms leading the charge if you like in terms of leading the charge if you like in terms of a leading the charge if you like in terms of a response. It is only slightly terms of a response. It is only slightly further down past the february date, towards the end of february february date, towards the end of february where it starts to become very clear february where it starts to become very clear that we need to move towards very clear that we need to move towards the niccma Arrangements Bein towards the niccma Arrangements Being stood up and i think, forgive me, being stood up and i think, forgive me. It being stood up and i think, forgive me. It is being stood up and i think, forgive me, it is hard on not to reflect on some me, it is hard on not to reflect on some of me, it is hard on not to reflect on some of the me, it is hard on not to reflect on some of the evidence we have referred some of the evidence we have referred to throughout the course of the inquirv referred to throughout the course of the inquiry. It is very clear that we were the inquiry. It is very clear that we were being resisted in terms of setting we were being resisted in terms of setting up we were being resisted in terms of setting up niccma, because health with a setting up niccma, because health with a lead department. However i do think that with a lead department. However i do think that on reflection it is very clear think that on reflection it is very clear that think that on reflection it is very clear that given the resistance we had from clear that given the resistance we had from health because they felt we were overreaching or interfering in their area were overreaching or interfering in their area of work, attorneys, the ability their area of work, attorneys, the ability to their area of work, attorneys, the ability to stand up niccma earlier perhaps ability to stand up niccma earlier perhaps could have been much more beneficial perhaps could have been much more beneficial in terms of other departments being able to come together departments being able to come together earlier on will step at the point together earlier on will step at the point of together earlier on will step at the point of asking for reflection, do you except point of asking for reflection, do you excep you except that under the 2016 arrangements you except that under the 2016 arrangements you you except that under the 2016 arrangements you had you except that under the 2016 arrangements you had the you except that under the 2016 I Arrangements you had the power, you except that under the 2016 arrangements you had the power, you and the First Minister had the power to stand up the Civil Contingencies Arrangements for Northern Ireland government . I arrangements for Northern Ireland government . Government . I think it is a matter of fact that government . I think it is a matter of fact that we government . I think it is a matter of fact that we could government . I think it is a matter of fact that we could have government . I think it is a matter of fact that we could have but government . I think it is a matter of fact that we could have but it i government . I think it is a matter of fact that we could have but it isi of fact that we could have but it is also equally a matter of fact the Department Of Health were in the lead and Department Of Health were in the lead and advising against it. I had no other lead and advising against it. I had no other Alternative View and officials no other Alternative View and officials werent bringing forward recommendations that this is advice from officials that we should move forward from officials that we should move forward with this at this time. I think forward with this at this time. I think it forward with this at this time. I think it was roundly view within the system think it was roundly view within the system in think it was roundly view within the system in the Civil Service that Health System in the Civil Service that health were in the lead and it was the understanding that our that help was in the understanding that our that help was in the the understanding that our that help was in the lead and would indicate to us was in the lead and would indicate to us whenever they needed to move beyond to us whenever they needed to move beyond the to us whenever they needed to move beyond the health alone and move into the beyond the health alone and move into the Wider Civil Contingency Space into the wider civil contingency sace. , y. , into the wider civil contingency sace. ,. , into the wider civil contingency sace. ,. , space. Could you help me as to when ou were space. Could you help me as to when you were advised, space. Could you help me as to when you were advised, and space. Could you help me as to when you were advised, and i space. Could you help me as to when you were advised, and i am space. Could you help me as to when you were advised, and i am talking i you were advised, and i am talking about a point in time, when you were advised by the Department Of Health that you shouldnt set up the Civil Contingencies Arrangements or that they werent required . I will contingencies arrangements or that they werent required . They werent required . I will have to do is check they werent required . I will have to do is check the they werent required . I will have to do is check the date they werent required . I will have to do is check the date but they werent required . I will have to do is check the date but i they werent required . I will have to do is check the date but i am l to do is check the date but i am very to do is check the date but i am very clear to do is check the date but i am very clear that from very early on we were very clear that from very early on we were being told from the 15th, the 30th we were being told from the 15th, the 30th Ofjanuary that health were in the the 30th Ofjanuary that health were in the lead, we were being told on the 15th in the lead, we were being told on the 15th of in the lead, we were being told on the 15th Of February that health were the 15th Of February that health were in the 15th Of February that health were in the lead, on the 3rd Of March Were in the lead, on The 3rd Of March from the civil contingencies policies march from the civil contingencies Policies Branch that health were in the lead. Policies branch that health were in the lead, so we had no reason to go counter the lead, so we had no reason to go counter to the lead, so we had no reason to go counter to that at that stage. However counter to that at that stage. However by The 3rd Of March it was a comic however by The 3rd Of March it was a comic where however by The 3rd Of March it was a comic where it needed to be much wider comic where it needed to be much wider than comic where it needed to be much wider than i comic where it needed to be much wider than i have response and i think wider than i have response and i think that wider than i have response and i think that is where you can start to see change think that is where you can start to see change in terms of pace and the work that see change in terms of pace and the work that was done across civil contingencies. Just work that was done across civil contingencies. Work that was done across civil continrencies, ,. ,. Contingencies. Just because health were in the contingencies. Just because health were in the lead, contingencies. Just because health were in the lead, that contingencies. Just because health were in the lead, that didnt contingencies. Just because health| were in the lead, that didnt negate the fact that you and the First Minister were the joint leaders of the Northern Ireland government, do you agree . It the Northern Ireland government, do ou arree . , the Northern Ireland government, do ou arree . ,. , the Northern Ireland government, do ou arree . ,. ,. , the Northern Ireland government, do ouarree . ,. You agree . It was a Health Pandemic and we were you agree . It was a Health Pandemic and we were being you agree . It was a Health Pandemic and we were being very you agree . It was a Health Pandemic and we were being very much you agree . It was a Health Pandemic and we were being very much guided by health and we were being very much guided by health and there are times when you can by health and there are times when you can see by health and there are times when you can see the chief medical 0fficers you can see the chief medical officers advice was that they 0fficers advice was that they didnt officers advice was that they didnt need the niccma structures, but it didnt need the niccma structures, but it would actually interfere with the work but it would actually interfere with the work they were doing. I have no other the work they were doing. I have no other advice the work they were doing. I have no other advice to come to that and that was other advice to come to that and that was the difficulty. It other advice to come to that and that was the difficulty. That was the difficulty. It must have been that was the difficulty. It must have been very that was the difficulty. It must have been very apparent that was the difficulty. It must have been very apparent to i that was the difficulty. It must| have been very apparent to you that was the difficulty. It must have been very apparent to you early on that this was more than a Health Pandemic and that it was raised serious issues for the whole of Northern Ireland. It serious issues for the whole of Northern Ireland. Northern ireland. It of course became increasingly Northern Ireland. It of course became increasingly clear Northern Ireland. It of course became increasingly clear it | Northern Ireland. It of course i became increasingly clear it was going became increasingly clear it was going to became increasingly clear it was going to become much wider but we were only going to become much wider but we were only in going to become much wider but we were only in the executive from the middle were only in the executive from the middle of were only in the executive from the middle ofjanuary. We were getting briefed middle ofjanuary. We were getting briefed from the head of the Civil Service, briefed from the head of the Civil Service, we briefed from the head of the Civil Service, we had these developments that i se