Stormont Live: Arlene Foster survives no-confidence vote over heat scheme scandal

Summary

Arlene Foster survives no-confidence vote in Northern Ireland Assembly
Foster gives statement on scandal-hit Renewable Heat Incentive scheme
Opponents call on first minister to stand down to allow inquiry into botched initiative
Mass walk-out by all parties except DUP ahead of Foster's address
DUP leader resists opponents "quest" to build her "political gallows"

Live Reporting

Robin Sheeran and Iain McDowell

'Drop statement and proceed with no-confidence debate'published at 11:22 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2016
Ulster Unionist Danny Kennedy suggests that Speaker Robin Newton should drop the first item of business on the assembly's order paper - the statement from Arlene Foster.
The Newry and Armagh MLA, who is one of the assembly's deputy speakers, says that business should then proceed to the second matter on the paper, which is the motion of no confidence in the first minister.
Doing that, he says, would allow Mrs Foster to make her points in on her role in the RHI scandal during the debate on that matter,.
Clarke asks when we'll hear Foster speakpublished at 11:21 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2016
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Speaker 'undermining himself'published at 11:19 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2016
Sinn Féin MLA tweets...
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Stand-off in the chamberpublished at 11:18 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2016
Stephen Walker
BBC News NI Political Correspondent
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A bad romance?published at 11:18 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2016
Conor Macauley
BBC News NI Agriculture and Environment Correspondent
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'Statement will undermine Executive Office'published at 11:18 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2016
TUV leader Jim Allister says that Arlene Foster's planned statement is listed on the assembly order paper as a ministerial statement, but now does not have the backing of her Executive Office colleague Martin McGuinness.
He asks by what standing order the house has been recalled to hear a "personal statement".
He says he knows of no such order.
Sinn Féin's Carál Ní Chuilín says that if the statement is allowed to go ahead it will be "undermining the joined-up approach of the Executive Office".
DUP speaker feeling heat from all sidespublished at 11:13 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2016
BBC correspondents tweet...
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'Assembly recall request came from both FM and DFM'published at 11:11 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2016
Speaker Robin Newton says he has received correspondence from Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness that Arlene Foster's statement does not come with his authority in her role as first minister.
Mr Newton says he has discharged his responsibility in recalling assembly, adding that the original request to recall the assembly was from both the first and deputy first ministers.
He has written, he says, to the Executive Office to request a statement from Mr McGuinness or another minister on his behalf.
No point-of-order was out of order, says Nesbittpublished at 11:09 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2016
Ulster Unionist Party tweets...
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Who's in and who's out?published at 11:09 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2016
Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI
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Stormont debate back up and runningpublished at 11:06 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2016
Mark Devenport
BBC News NI Political Editor
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Analysis: Chaotic scenes at Stormont assemblypublished at 11:05 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2016
Mark Devenport
BBC News NI Political Editor
A statement from Arlene Foster due to begin at 10:30 ago has been delayed until around now amid chaotic scenes at the assembly chamber.
Other parties objected to Mrs Foster being given permission to make a ministerial statement, arguing that it did not have the authority of the Executive Office.
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness confirmed that if she goes ahead with her statement she would be acting without his approval or authority.
Sinn Féin repeats call for Foster to step asidepublished at 11:05 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2016
Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness tells a press conference at Stormont that there is "no credibility whatsoever in an investigation established solely by the DUP" or in the "selective release of some documents" by departments manned by the party.
"An independent investigation is the only way to establish the truth of what has occurred and to begin to restore public faith in these institutions," the deputy first minister says.
He added: "The first minister should stand aside to allow the investigation to take place in as conducive an atmosphere as possible."
SDLP warn over break-up of ruling coalitionpublished at 11:04 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2016
Mark Devenport
BBC News NI Political Editor
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Stormont walk-out - the story so farpublished at 11:00 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2016
MLAs from most of the main political parties at Stormont have walked out of the assembly chamber in protest.
The mass walk-out happened ahead of a statement by First Minister Arlene Foster on the RHI scheme, over which she is facing a vote of no confidence from MLAs.
DUP can't set up 'cash-for-ash' inquiry, says Sinn Féinpublished at 10:55 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2016
Conor Macauley
BBC News NI Agriculture and Environment Correspondent
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Justice minister stands her ground in chamberpublished at 10:53 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2016
Former Sinn Féin MLA tweets...
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Where did the rest of them go to?published at 10:49 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2016
Mark Simpson
BBC News NI
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New Sinn Féin MLA enters assemblypublished at 10:49 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2016
In among all of that kerfuffle in the chamber, new Sinn Féin MLA Orlaithí Flynn (below) was introduced to the assembly, although we don't blame you if you didn't notice...
Image source, Sinn Féin
Speaker Robin Newton confirmed that Jennifer McCann had tendered her resignation as West Belfast representative, and welcomed Ms Flynn to Stormont, although she wasn't in her seat to hear his good wishes.
'Cash-for-ash' paper hunt continuespublished at 10:46 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December 2016
Conor Macauley
BBC News NI Agriculture and Environment Correspondent
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