Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:-
“The media focus on Arlene Foster’s failure to adequately follow up on the RHI whistle-blower is appropriate, but it is not the only area of massive ministerial failure in this sorry saga.
“The first and fundamental question is how Arlene Foster came to sign off and approve the scheme in the first place, knowing the cost control mechanisms from the parallel GB scheme had been removed from her local version. In consequence, there was always going to be runaway expenditure and huge squander.
“Why did Arlene Foster think it appropriate not to follow the GB template, but remove its vital subsidy tiering which ensured the expenditure was capped? Mrs Foster may try to blame officials for not following up on the whistleblowing, but who can she blame but herself for signing off a patently flawed scheme?
“Secondly, under the scheme it was supposed to obtain re-approval from DFP in April 2015. But, as the answer to my Assembly Question below clearly demonstrates, this did not happen. Why?
AQW 2642/16-21
Mr Jim Allister
Traditional Unionist Voice
North Antrim
Tabled Date: 08/09/2016
Answered On Date: 25/10/2016
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy why re-approval of the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme was not sought from the Department of Finance and Personnel in April 2015.
Answer:
There were insufficient administrative arrangements in place to ensure that re-approval was sought. Administrative and monitoring structures have now been put in place across the Department to ensure that something like this cannot recur in future.
“If this review and re-approval process had occurred the public could have been saved tens of millions, because this was before the massive spike in applications. It simply isn’t good enough to sweep the matter under the carpet by pathetically saying “there were insufficient administrative arrangements in place”. Why were they not in place? Because the minister failed to put them in place! Once more asleep at the wheel.
“This ‘Squander Made In Stormont’ still awaits apology from the First Minister and action to match the monumental nature of her failings.”