Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
RHI PROBE TO BE A SLOW BURNER
Botched green energy scheme inquiry set to run for months
THE furore over a botched green energy scheme reached such a “fever pitch” it struck at the very heart of our democratic institutions, a public inquiry has been told.
Allegations of incompetence and corruption around the Renewable Heat Incentive have left many taxpayers questioning whether hundreds of millions of pounds of public money went up in smoke, a lawyer for the inquiry said.
Delivering his opening statement on the first day of a high-profile independent probe, David Scoffield QC said “explosive” claims of political interference and improper patronage would be examined in forensic detail.
The inquiry will investigate the design and operation of the ill-fated scheme, an eco-friendly State subsidy initiative that left the Stormont administration facing a potential £700million overspend bill.
Mr Scoffield said: “It is hard to find a taxpayer in Northern Ireland who does not have questions to ask about how a scheme intended to do so much good turned out to have an unplanned bill of such proportions as to threaten other public spending priorities, apparently well into the future.”
The RHI was established to incentivise businesses to shift to renewable energy sources by offering a proportion of the costs to run eco-friendly boilers.
But in Northern Ireland the subsidy tariffs were set too high and without a cap, so it ended up paying out significantly more than the price of fuel.
This effectively enabled some applicants to “burn to earn”, getting free heat and making a profit as they did so.
Along with claims of incompetent handling of the scheme there have been more damning corruption allegations that steps to clamp down on the costs were subject to inappropriate political obstruction, with the intent of enabling others to benefit from the generous terms.
DUP leader Arlene Foster’s role in the scheme was at the heart of the row that brought down the Sinn FEIN/DUP coalition government.
She had a central role in establishing the RHI during her time as Stormont Economy Minister.
The former First Minister has insisted she acted correctly throughout.
A series of DUP party advisers, who have all rejected allegations of wrongdoing, will also appear before the probe chaired by retired judge Sir Patrick Coghlin.
Sir Patrick told the opening hearing at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, the inquiry team has already examined one million pieces of documentary evidence. Mr Scoffield said: “It is undoubtedly part of the RHI story that concern about what happened with this scheme reached such fever pitch that it struck at the very heart of our democratic institutions.”
He said the RHI scheme had caught the public imagination in part due to allegations of “incompetence, corruption and improper patronage”.
Mr Scoffield added: “The notion that money might be going up in smoke which could otherwise pay for doctors, nurses, teachers, policemen and so on has been anathema to many in the public.”
The barrister referred to the explosive TV interview with former DUP Economy Minister Jonathan Bell who broke cover to level a series of allegations against Mrs Foster and party advisers.
He revealed the inquiry has secured texts and emails exchanged among politicians and officials in the wake of Mr Bell’s interview.
Mr Scoffield confirmed Mrs Foster and Mr Bell would not be called to give evidence until the “very end” of the inquiry’s hearings.
This is expected to be well into 2018.
Hard to find a taxpayer who does not have questions to ask DAVID SCOFFIELD QC STORMONT YESTERDAY