Bobby Storey funeral: NI politicians react to PPS decision

The decision by the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) not to recommend any prosecutions in relation to the funeral of Bobby Storey has divided opinion across the political spectrum.

Mr Storey, a senior republican figure, died in June last year when Covid restrictions were in place.

His funeral attracted more than 2,000 mourners - including Northern Ireland's deputy first minister, Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill - causing a political furore.

Here are some of the reactions to the PPS decision not to prosecute.

Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald said it was good the process had "reached a conclusion".

The decision not to prosecute "is the decision arrived at independently by those who are charged to make these decisions," she told Irish broadcaster RTÉ.

"I understand at the time of that funeral, that there was alarm and some hurt at the number of people that were out to pay their respects.

"Certainly for our part, for my part, I regret that that hurt was felt," she added.

While DUP leader Arlene Foster has called on PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne to step down over the PPS' decision not to prosecute, some of her party colleagues went further.

East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell said he was "flabbergasted" by the outcome.

He said the outcome had done "untold damage" to the police and the PPS.

Stormont's Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots, whose father died last spring, tweeted that he was "disgusted" with the decision.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the Sinn Féin leadership must be held accountable.

"We should be clear, a decision not to prosecute is not a determination that no law was broken and it is not a verdict on the actions of those who took part," said the Foyle MP.

"Public rules that were communicated with the weight of law, and respected with that burden by so many families and circles of friendship, were egregiously breached by people who had a full hand in setting those regulations. That demands accountability".

The SDLP is seeking to bring back MLAs early from Easter recess through a recall petition to discuss the decision by the PPS not to prosecute.A recall petition needs the signatures of 30 MLAs to be successful.SDLP sources said they were confident of reaching that figure.However it would be up to the assembly speaker to decide when any recall would happen.

The PPS decision was "regrettable", said UUP leader Steve Aiken.

"That in the height of the Covid pandemic Sinn Féin saw fit to very publicly and visibly flout the rules and guidelines that applied to everyone else in Northern Ireland should be of concern to us all.

"Sinn Féin have clearly been allowed to get away with something that no other organisation or citizen would have been allowed to do and that has very serious implications.

"Rules and the law must apply equally to everyone, or else they might as well not exist.

"That there is now a very distinct perception that there is two-tier policing in Northern Ireland is a matter that must be addressed".

Alliance deputy leader Stephen Farry said: "The onus lies with Sinn Féin to belatedly take responsibility for their actions," he said.

"It undermined the entire messaging of the executive and others last year - Michelle O'Neill needs to issue an unreserved, unambiguous public apology on the matter, and now show some leadership."

However, Mr Farry said he did not think PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne should resign.

"There is obviously a major emotional reaction to what happened and the lack of accountability to what transpired last summer - I think the police are the wrong target in that regard.

"I think the focus has to be on Sinn Féin and holding them to account and demanding that they do far better in terms of recognising the hurt and damage that has been done".

TUV leader Jim Allister said the decision not to prosecute was "wholly perverse".

"Fear of offending, once again, republicans and favour towards the Sinn Féin leadership who are apparently above the law, the very law that they made," he said.

Green Party leader Clare Bailey said there had been a failure of political leadership "at a time when people needed it the most".

"Apologies to date have been reserved and fall short of acknowledging the standards required from those in senior public office," she said.

Ms Bailey added: "People have sacrificed so much as we enter into the second year of the pandemic. This in spite of the lack of leadership from people who knew better but chose to act otherwise."