Waterfront Hall is evacuated
HUNDREDS of people were evacuated from the Waterfront Hall in Belfast last night. However, the alert was a false alarm and only lasted a few minutes. Ticket-holders for a Christy Moore concert and Martin Lynch’s new play Three’s A Shroud were allowed back in shortly afterwards. PROJECTED overspend in Northern Ireland’s Renewable Heat Incentive schemecouldbeaslowas£60m,the High Court heard yesterday.
Counsel for a group of boiler owners claimed the estimated costs represented less than 0.1% of the annual £11bn block grant from Westminster.
Disputing predictions the botched initiative will leave taxpayers with a bill of nearly £500m over 20 years, Gerald Simpson QC said: “It’s as flawed an assumption as we have seen.”
A judge was also told of fears that new tariff rates at the centre of a legal challenge could result in thousands of job losses.
More than 500 members of the Renewable Heat Association NI Ltd are seeking to judicially review the decision to reduce payments assured under the original 2012 regulations.
They argue there was no legal power for the move announced by the Department for the Economy.
Under the scheme businesses and other non-domestic users were encouraged to move from using fossil fuels to renewable heating systems. But with operators legitimately able to earn more cash the more fuel they burned, the cost to the public purse has been projected at up to £490m — a figure disputed by the association.
The debacle led to the collapse of the Stormont administration and the establishment of a public inquiry.
Earlier this year former Economy Minister Simon Hamilton set out revised 2017 RHI regulations as part of cost-cutting proposals.
Lawyers for the association contend this was an illegal step against boiler owners with 20-year contracts.
The owners allege that the scheme was let down by incompetence, hopeless oversight and failed opportunities to impose cost controls.
On the second day of the challenge the estimated overspend came under scrutiny.
Referring to expert economic analysis commissioned by the association, reductions were made for boilers which failed to gain accreditation, those which broke down irreparably and operators expelled for fraud.
With the variable cost of inflation also omitted, the appraisal arrived at a cost of £161m over the scheme’s 20year lifespan.
Setting out how Northern Ireland receives £11bn a year from central government, Mr Simpson said: “It would represent 0.07% of the block grant.”
But the bill would be cut even further, he contended, if private initiatives to build two separate combined heat and power (CHP) plants are scuppered over issues of EU State aid approval.
“It would fall to about £60m if there are no CHP plants,” the barrister said. “The headline figure (of £490m) has to be treated with a great deal of circumspection.”
The case continues. BELFAST’S Oh Yeah Music Centre for developing emerging talent is celebrating its 10th birthday next month.
It has become a hub of the local music scene and helped promote Northern Ireland songwriters on a global stage.
The Cathedral Quarter venue is planning a party to celebrate during the Sound of Belfast festival in November.
Chief executive officer Charlotte Dryden said: “We will treat it like a house party where everyone gets up with a guitar. It has been a great big party.
“We have become what we wanted it to be, which was a dedicated music hub for Belfast.”
Oh Yeah has provided a recording studio, rehearsal rooms and advice for young music artists as well as contacts with industry professionals.
Among those to pass through its doors are singer/songwriter Katharine Philippa, who has performed at the Ulster Hall with the Ulster Orchestra. Her tracks have been played many times on BBC Radio 1, Radio 3 and 6 Music.