Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:-
“With the release of the 7th January 2013 letters to banks from Arlene Foster, it turns out Mrs Foster was actively promoting the scheme with banks so that they would lend to those installing RHI boilers.
“This points to a far greater ministerial attachment to this scheme than hitherto has been admitted. Moreover, as these letters stressed the long term security of the tariffs – guaranteeing the tariffs would be exempt from downward movement – it further underscores ministerial knowledge and satisfaction with that situation – to the detriment of the taxpayer. With Mrs Foster boasting to the banks that RHI provided a good return on investment, it is clear she knew and endorsed the profit being made by RHI beneficiaries on taxpayers’ money.
“A key sentence in the letters is as follows:- “Tariffs are ‘grandfathered’ providing certainty for investors by setting a guaranteed support level for projects for their lifetime in a scheme, regardless of future reviews.” (‘Grandfathered’ means the initial high tariffs will be exempt from any future reductions in the tariffs.)
“This now makes it more difficult for the Executive to retreat from the contractual commitments made.
“With each new revelation Arlene Foster is on ever shrinking ground. The need for a full judicial inquiry is more imperative than ever.”