Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
ARLENE: I DIDN’T WILT ON HEATING SCANDAL
DUP leader ‘tougher than most’
ARLENE Foster yesterday told an inquiry into the botched green energy scheme she is “probably tougher than most” politicians when it comes to dealing with criticism.
The DUP leader and former enterprise minister was in charge of planning the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.
Mrs Foster said: “I don’t think there are any politicians that are not sensitive to criticism, given what I came through last year I think I am probably tougher than most.
“All politicians know that they are going to be criticised on a day and daily basis.
“None of us took decisions to avoid criticism. Politics is about not just getting elected, it is about doing something with your mandate and to deliver on what you want to deliver on.
“That is why I got involved in politics, to try to make a difference to Northern Ireland.
“If you are sensitive to criticism you have to ask if you are in the right job.”
Mrs Foster also dismissed evidence the minuting of official Stormont meetings was stopped to prevent their release under Freedom of Information law.
The lack of records was “shocking” and worrying but concern over transparency legislation and related political sensitivities did not influence that, she added.
Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service David
Sterling has said minute- taking lapsed after devolution and suggested the main parties in the devolved power-sharing administration in Belfast were sensitive to criticism.
Mrs Foster told the public inquiry chaired by Sir Patrick Coghlin she was unaware notes had not been taken.
She said: “I never gave a direction not to take minutes because of FOI or because I did not want anybody to see what was happening in my department.”
A series of fatal design flaws exposed Stormont to a huge overspend, paying out more than it cost to buy wood fuel.
This created an incentive to “burn to earn”.
The problems prompted the collapse of devolution at Stormont.
Earlier, Mrs Foster said she did not sign a blank cheque for the RHI scheme but officials should have given her more information before a key decision.
With hindsight she believed she should have received more information, adding: “I don’t believe it was a blank cheque at
that time.”