Summary

  • Second week of public inquiry hearings into botched Renewable Heat Incentive scheme

  • Inquiry set up after public concern over scheme's huge projected overspend

  • Retired Court of Appeal judge Sir Patrick Coghlin chairing inquiry at Stormont

  • Origin and introduction of initiative examined by inquiry panel

  • Key witnesses will start to give evidence later this month

  • Public evidence sessions expected to last until well into 2018

Live Reporting

Robin Sheeran and Brooke Allen

  1. RHI scheme - what was it?

    The Renewable Heat Incentive scheme - or RHI for short - came to the fore of the Northern Ireland public's knowledge in autumn last year.

    Few people, if anyone, would have expected it to have the consequences it has done in the months that followed.

    Boiler

    It was set up by the Northern Ireland Executive in 2012, as a way of encouraging businesses to switch from using fossil fuels to renewable sources for generating their heat.

    Those who signed up were offered financial incentives to buy new heating systems and the fuel to run them.

  2. Good morning

    A security guard at Parliament Buildings,StormontPA

    Welcome to a cold, frosty morning on the hill at Stormont.

    We're coming to the end of a week of intense preliminary briefings from the RHI inquiry's lawyers.

    This morning, junior counsel Donal Lunny picks up where he left off yesterday on the the consideration of value for money when the RHI was set up.

    The session kicks off at 09:30 GMT.

    Join us then.