The Irish Times reports
Van Morrison has dropped a legal challenge against a pandemic ban on live music in Northern Ireland after the Stormont Executive eased restrictions.
The singer-songwriter, an outspoken critic of Covid 19 lockdowns, started judicial review proceedings in Belfast against the power-sharing administration in January over regulations that prohibited live music in indoor venues.
In a statement on Tuesday, Mr Morrison said he welcomed Stormont ministers having “shifted in a positive direction” but there remained “many questions that need to be answered by the Northern Ireland Executive”.
“During my legal proceedings, we were given assurances that specific medical evidence to justify the blanket ban for Northern Ireland would be shared with our legal team,” he said.
“We are still waiting to receive that evidence. There are questions regarding the reluctance of the Northern Ireland Executive to share any concrete verification in this regard.”
Mr Morrison also questioned why the North “was singled out for such draconian restrictions when every other region of the UK sought to move forward in more positive ways”.
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