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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| RHI scandal: Botched heat scheme investigation planned | RHI scandal: Botched heat scheme investigation planned |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Sinn Féin has published its proposed terms of reference for an independent investigation into a botched heating scheme that is £490m over budget. | |
| The party wants First Minister Arlene Foster to step aside while the debacle is investigated. | The party wants First Minister Arlene Foster to step aside while the debacle is investigated. |
| Mrs Foster set up the Renewable Heating Incentive (RHI) scheme in 2012 when she was enterprise minister. | |
| The first minister has said she would not accept Sinn Féin's terms of reference. | |
| During a visit to a school in County Fermanagh on Friday, Mrs Foster said she would reject the terms. | |
| Mrs Foster also appeared to hit back at critics in a post on her personal Facebook page. | |
| She posted a well-known meme image of a hamster wearing glasses with the words: "Can't see all the haters when I've got my love glasses on." | |
| The image was liked by her DUP MLA colleague Christopher Stalford. | |
| The RHI scheme was an attempt by the NI Executive to increase consumption of heat from renewable sources. | |
| But businesses received more in subsidies than they paid for fuel, and the scheme became heavily oversubscribed. | But businesses received more in subsidies than they paid for fuel, and the scheme became heavily oversubscribed. |
| Earlier, Justice Minister Claire Sugden said she did "not have the power" to initiate a public inquiry into the scheme. | Earlier, Justice Minister Claire Sugden said she did "not have the power" to initiate a public inquiry into the scheme. |
| Finance Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir warned on Thursday that if Mrs Foster does not step aside temporarily an election would be inevitable. | Finance Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir warned on Thursday that if Mrs Foster does not step aside temporarily an election would be inevitable. |
| However, the DUP has consistently rejected calls for Mrs Foster to step aside. | |
| On Wednesday, Economy Minister Simon Hamilton said he and Mrs Foster had come up with a plan to limit public losses to "effectively zero". | On Wednesday, Economy Minister Simon Hamilton said he and Mrs Foster had come up with a plan to limit public losses to "effectively zero". |
| Judicial figure | Judicial figure |
| Under the terms of power sharing outlined in the Good Friday Agreement, Sinn Féin and the DUP hold joint office at the head of the Northern Ireland Executive and must both agree on how to investigate the RHI crisis. | |
| Sinn Féin has previously rejected the terms of reference drawn up by the head of the Northern Ireland civil service to investigate the issue. | |
| Sinn Féin wants the attorney general to appoint a judge to head up the panel. | |
| Emergency legislation would be required to give the investigation the powers to compel witnesses and documentation. | |
| The party says this could be done under accelerated passage; it wants the panel to produce a preliminary report within four weeks and a final report within three months. | The party says this could be done under accelerated passage; it wants the panel to produce a preliminary report within four weeks and a final report within three months. |
| "If Arlene Foster wants to do the right thing, then the right thing to do would be to step aside," said Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill. | |
| When asked if any investigation could go ahead without Mrs Foster standing side, she replied "no". | When asked if any investigation could go ahead without Mrs Foster standing side, she replied "no". |
| "The public needs to have confidence and faith that any investigation that takes place is full transparent," she said. | "The public needs to have confidence and faith that any investigation that takes place is full transparent," she said. |
| "Our terms of reference clearly sets out a judicial figure, independent of any minister or any of the executive, will take forward an investigation. | "Our terms of reference clearly sets out a judicial figure, independent of any minister or any of the executive, will take forward an investigation. |
| "But at the heart of that has to be the issue of compellability, because if they can't compel people and papers, then the investigation's not going to be worth the paper it's written on." | "But at the heart of that has to be the issue of compellability, because if they can't compel people and papers, then the investigation's not going to be worth the paper it's written on." |
| Some hearings could be held in public but that would be up to the panel to decide, added Mrs O'Neill. | Some hearings could be held in public but that would be up to the panel to decide, added Mrs O'Neill. |
| His proposal to resolve the botched renewable heating scheme was denounced by Mr Ó Muilleoir as a "sticking plaster". | His proposal to resolve the botched renewable heating scheme was denounced by Mr Ó Muilleoir as a "sticking plaster". |
| Mr Hamilton and Mr Ó Muilleoir held "clear-the-air" talks on Thursday. | Mr Hamilton and Mr Ó Muilleoir held "clear-the-air" talks on Thursday. |