Renewable Heat Incentive scandal

The Renewable Heat Incentive scandal is a political scandal in Norlin Airlan 'at centres on a failt renewable energy (wood pellet burnin) incentive scheme that's bin repairtit te potentially cost the public awmaist £500 million.[1] The plan, initiatit in 2012, wis owerseen bi Arlene Foster o the Democratic Unionist Party, then the Minister fur Enterprise, Trade an Investment. Foster failt te introduce proper cost controls, allowin the plan te spiral oot o control.[1]  The scheme wrocht bi payin applicants te uise renewable energy. Housomiver, the rate paid wis mair nor the cost o the fuel, an thusly, monie applicants war makkin profits simply bi heatin thair properties.[1]

Arlene Foster MLA set furth the scheme in her role as Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment minister.

The scandal foremaist cam te licht in November 2016, whan Foster wis Norlin Airlan's First Minister. Foster refuise't te demit or staund aside durin ony speirins, sayin 'at te do se wud be seen as admittin she wis wyte wirthy in the matter.[2]

The affair ultimately causit Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness tae demit in protest as First Minister depute o Norlin Airlan in Januar 2017 efter ten yeir in office, citin Foster's refusal tae staund aside frae her role while an investigation teuk place, amang ither maiters.[3] In the pouer-sharin govrenment, McGuinness' resignation forby meant thit Foster wis removit frae her role as First Minister, which in turn caused the Executive office o the Norlin Airlan Executive te clyte fur the neist three years.

On 16 Januar 2017, Sinn Féin refuise't te re-nominate a First Minister depute in protest at whit thay cried the "arrogance and disrespect of the DUP", triggerin a snap election.[4] The Norlin Airlan Executive clytit an the Norlin Airlan Semmlie wis dissolvit on 26 Januar 2017. The 2017 Norlin Airlan Semmlie election wis haudit on 2 Mairch, but didne lead te the formation o a new Executive.  Oan 11 Januar 2020, efter haen bin suspendit fur awmaist three years, the pairties reconvenit on the basis o an greeance proposit bi the Erse an UK govrenments. As o 14 Januar 2020, the Enquiry report remains te be release't.

References

eedit
  1. a b c Macauley, Conor (17 Januar 2017). "RHI scandal: PSNI considering request for fraud investigation". BBC News.
  2. Arlene Foster statement in full  – Belfast Telegraph, 10 January 2017
  3. "Martin McGuinness resigns as NI deputy first minister". BBC News. 10 Januar 2017.
  4. "Stormont crisis: Deadline passes for future of executive". BBC News. 16 Januar 2017.