The SDLP has described the botched Renewable Heat Incentive scheme in Northern Ireland as "the biggest financial scandal in the history of devolution".

Sir Patrick Coghlin, a retired appeal court judge, opened the inquiry into the RHI scheme on Tuesday, 07 November.

An investigation by Spotlight revealed several errors in the scheme which were believed to cost the public purse around £490million.

-- Advertisement --

SDLP Economy Spokesperson, Sinead Bradley MLA, said: "It feels like a political lifetime ago and is scarcely remembered in public debate but the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme scandal is the reason we no longer have power sharing institutions; such was the scale of the alleged wrongdoing.

"Following months of pressure from the SDLP and others, the Finance Minister finally gave in and called this Public Inquiry after previously resisting the highest standard of accountability. It is critical now that the Inquiry is allowed to get to the truth of what went wrong with the RHI scheme, why cost controls were stripped from the Northern Ireland scheme, who knew about it and when.

"Taxpayers deserve the truth and for those responsible to be held to account."

(CD/JP)