Empty barns and buildings are heated for profit while fuel poverty in Northern Ireland continues to rise

‘Supreme arrogance and contempt for both public opinion and the political process have led to a situation where only a full and impartial enquiry will now be able to uncover the facts behind the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme’, Workers Party representative Lily Kerr has said.

‘The facts behind this debacle could have been aired much earlier and without the drip, drip release of information that we have seen over recent weeks’, she said

‘Arlene Foster and a string of DUP spokespersons have attempted to minimise the scale of this issue, hide its financial implications and play down the impact it will have on the people of Northern Ireland,  Lily said.

‘It is unforgivable that as levels of fuel poverty continue to rise an Executive programme pays people to heat empty barns and buildings. It is reprehensible that those responsible should seek to avoid accountability with arrogance and contempt’.

‘Just one year ago the same DUP was demonising people in receipt of benefits and refusing to even consider presenting an alternative to the welfare cuts agenda.  However, they have had no difficulty in burning millions of pounds of taxpayers money’, she added.

‘Arlene Foster must now step aside and allow a full public enquiry to establish and publish the facts, including the details of those who joined the scheme in its final weeks’, Lily concluded