Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Chickens, Spads, the DUP and a jolly in New York
Witnesses ruffle feathers at the RHI inquiry
surrounding budgetary problems affecting the scheme in 2016.
Dr Crawford removed a reference to the poultry industry’s uptake being a reason for the overspend.
Sir Patrick asked: “Why remove something that was true?”
The witness, who worked in the Department of Finance at the time, said: “My concern was the narrative it was creating, the implications it could have on the wider economy. I removed that line but there was no malice intended.” The inquiry also heard hotelier Howard Hastings first forwarded allegations the scheme was being abused which he received from a boiler installer.
The inquiry was told there was no evidence Dr Crawford passed on the message to the Enterprise Department.
Earlier this week, the Spad said he believes his party worked to “pin the blame” on him for the RHI debacle. In January last year he quit after claims he exerted influence to delay cost controls, allegations he denies.
He added in December 2016 and early 2017, when the RHI story broke a course of action was taken “to put my name out there”.
On Tuesday another former DUP Spad, Timothy Cairns described politics as a “grubby world”.
Dr Crawford told the inquiry he agreed with that, adding: “That’s how politics works.”
There were explosive claims at the start of the week with allegations made about a trade mission to New York which then minister Jonathan Bell attended.
The evidence including a text from Mr Cairns, Mr Bell’s Spad, sent to another former DUP adviser, Richard
Bullick, in