WIREDGOV

The Northern Ireland Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee has agreed to invite Arlene Foster MLA to give evidence on its Inquiry into the Non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme.

The First Minister was previously the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and was in charge of the Department when the RHI Scheme was introduced.

Chairperson of the Committee Robin Swann MLA said: “While it is not the convention to invite Ministers to come before the Committee and give evidence, the majority of the Committee feels that in this case it would be both appropriate and desirable.

“My Committee has been investigating this Scheme since September and we have been shocked, not just at the apparent failure of the Department to control the way the Scheme was designed, implemented and monitored, but at the enormous cost to the public purse.

“We are determined to get to the bottom of how this scheme went so badly wrong and we believe that the Minister who was in charge when it was agreed may have valuable evidence to give to the Committee.”

The Committee has also agreed to invite Jonathan Bell MLA, former Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Sammy Wilson MP, former Minister for Finance and Personnel and Patsy McGlone MLA, former Chairperson of the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, in respect of their roles and responsibilities in relation to the RHI Scheme.