Summary

  • Renewable Heat Incentive Inquiry examining botched energy scheme

  • Tim Cairns, former DUP adviser to minister Jonathan Bell, gives evidence

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

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

  • Public hearings entering critical phase with high-profile witnesses giving evidence

Live Reporting

Iain McDowell and Robin Sheeran

  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 late-2016... and the fallout from the scandal attached to it is still being felt in the region's politics today.

    A biomass boilerGetty Images

    The scheme 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

    It's the start of another week at the Renewable Heat Incentive Inquiry up on Stormont hill and the fireworks have already started.

    Stormont's Parliament Buildings

    Today and tomorrow we'll be hearing from Tim Cairns, the former DUP adviser to ex-enterprise minister Jonathan Bell, and if his witness statement is anything to go by there'll be a fair bit of action in the Senate chamber.

    As ever, we'll bring you every minute of it on our live stream and we'll have a text commentary of the best bits so stick with us throughout the day.