By Sheila Mckenzie-
Hospitality boss, Collin Neil, has blasted the Irish government for trying to blackmail people into taking the vaccine.
Mr Neil of Hospitality Oyster, said the government was blackmailing people to be vaccinated as a pre-condition in relation to the suggested requirement for Covid-19 vaccine passports to become mandatory to enter indoor venues.
epartment of Health spokesperson said: “Any decision on the use of vaccine certificates within Northern Ireland would be a matter for the executive as a whole to consider.
“Mr Neill seems to think that it is solely a Department of Health issue. That is not the case.”
His agitation comes after the Irish Government introduced rules to bar anyone from dining indoors unless they can prove they have been vaccinated or have Covid immunity. The stipulation is being considered by Stormont Ministers in an attempt to address lower vaccination rates among young people.
However, it is also generating more anger and resistance among young people previously indifferent to the vaccine and making many of those normally against vaccinated even less flexible to the idea of a compromise.
On Monday, 72.6% of the eligible population in Northern Ireland had been vaccinated, with lower rates among the 18-30 age groups.
He also questioned making the vaccine mandatory to enter hospitality, saying “you cannot blackmail people into doing stuff”.
“There is talk about hospitality being singled out for vaccine passports, we’re saying, ‘at least talk to us’,” he told PA.
“There is a difference between an incentive and removing civil liberties but there is also the wider question of why just hospitality, why not buses, trains, universities, the gym.”
The idea of universities was originally explored by Westminster but ditched after a revolt from Mps and legal threats that the plans were not just unworkable, but would breach the contract into which students entered with their respective universities.
Mr Neill also warned that the idea would be complex to implement, questioning where would legal liability rest and businesses where some staff may not be vaccinated
The hospitality boss voiced concerns on the potential impact on trade for businesses which were forced to close for months over lockdown.
“In the south, the industry and the Taoiseach and senior ministers were engaged for days in discussions, but we get no discussion,” he said.
Mr Neill urged a better marketing campaign to boost vaccination rates.
Stormont ministers will meet on Thursday to discuss the state of the pandemic.
Earlier this week, Feile an Phobail offered 500 event tickets for those who received their vaccination at a pop-up clinic in Falls Park. However, despite an early rush, not all the tickets were claimed.
Festival goers at Feile an Phobail queuing to receive the coronavirus vaccination for an event ticket. (Liam McBurney/PA)
Inevitable
Dr Tom Black, chair of the Northern Ireland council of the British Medical Association, said he believes vaccine passports for hospitality are “inevitable”.
“The problem is we have seen over the last couple of weeks hundreds of patients in hospital who mostly aren’t vaccinated occupying hospital beds and we’re overwhelming our intensive care units, we’re having to take staff away from theatres to look after these patients and as a result patient with cancer and kidney transplants aren’t being done,” he said.
“I don’t think that’s defensible, I think we have to take action to fix this situation.
“We have already seen this (vaccine passports) for foreign travel, I think that we will (see it for hospitality), I don’t think we have an alternative.”
Dr Black urged more young people to have their vaccine, adding they have a “responsibility to look after themselves, to look after friends and family, colleagues and their health service”.
“They are failing to do that at the minute,” he said.
A Department of Health spokesperson said: “Any decision on the use of vaccine certificates within Northern Ireland would be a matter for the executive as a whole to consider.
“Mr Neill seems to think that it is solely a Department of Health issue. That is not the case.”
.Ms McVea said they believe more than 100,000 people who are not on the electoral register while 180,000 people are on the register under the wrong details, such as not updated a surname after getting married or updated address after moving house.
“About half of Northern Ireland (700,000 people) have already applied under the canvass, 81,000 people registered yesterday (Tuesday) so the best thing that I can advise people to do whether to vote or for the voucher, is go online and register today, it takes less than five minutes or get a paper application,” she sa