Summary

  • Renewable Heat Incentive Inquiry examining botched energy scheme

  • Former DETI permanent secretary Dr Andrew McCormick 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 - the flaws

    The budget of the RHI scheme ran out of control because of critical flaws in the way the initiative was set up.

    Claimants could effectively earn more money the more fuel they burned because the subsidies on offer for renewable fuels were far greater than the cost of the fuels themselves.

    Burning £20 notes

    At one point the estimate for the overspend was set at £700m if permanent cost controls weren't introduced - temporary cuts have since pulled the budget back on track for now.

    Whatever the scale of the bill, it will have to be picked up by the Northern Ireland taxpayer.

  2. 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.

    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.

  3. Good morning

    It's a bright, autumn morning on the Stormont Estate - those driving up the tree-lined avenue leading to the big house on the hill are greeted with all shades of orange, yellow and green.

    Thanks for joining us for another day at the Renewable Heat Incentive Inquiry.

    Stormont's Parliament BuildingsPA

    Today the inquiry will hear from Dr Andrew McCormick, who was the most senior civil servant at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) when the botched energy scheme came crashing down in 2015 and 2016.

    The proceedings will begin in the next 10-15 minutes so stick with us for a live stream and text commentary on everything you need to know.