Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“Last night’s Spotlight programme was deeply disturbing. Here we have a situation where the Northern Ireland taxpayer is set to lose half a billion pounds because of the actions of the present First Minister.
“What a shambles. It is hard to look at this matter otherwise than to acknowledge the gross departmental, and thus ministerial, mismanagement. If this situation had evolved under direct rule, can you imagine the outcry and allegations from those, namely the DUP and Sinn Féin, who will seek to brush it all under the carpet. Can you imagine the outcry about Ministers being asleep at the wheel, taking their eye off the ball, having no interest in the job, being more interested in something else, allowing things to get out of control and having no thought for the people or the economy of Northern Ireland? Can you not hear it all? Yet every one of those things could be said in a situation where we are supposed to have caring, local, responsive devolution. It is under that regime of supposedly caring, local, responsible devolution that this shambles has come to fruition.
“There was a failure to act on the tip off from a whistle-blower and failure to follow the example of the Great Britain scheme so that subsidy would not exceed the cost of the materials. As a result, the Northern Ireland taxpayer will be £400 million out of pocket over the next 20 years.
“It is worth remembering what the DUP were telling the public about the scheme back in March.
“On 15th March the then Minister Jonathan Bell said:
“Renewables in Northern Ireland has been a success story. The Executive’s Programme for Government targets for renewable electricity and renewable heat have both been exceeded. More than a quarter of our electricity now comes from renewables compared to 3% a decade ago. The renewable heat target of 4% has also been exceeded with an estimated 6% of our heat now being provided from renewable sources.”
Briefing the Committee the Minister said: “Such success has not come without challenges, these included the ability of the existing grid infrastructure to absorb ever increasing levels of renewable generation and budgetary pressures arising from the renewable heat scheme”.
Concluding the Minister confirmed that while schemes were closing for new applications, support for existing installations will continue for up to 20 years. He said: “This was a massive achievement for a region this size. It has reduced polluting carbon emissions, contributed to increased air quality and brought investment, jobs and skills to Northern Ireland.”
“Importantly, at that point the Minister knew all the details which were only learned by others months later.”