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DUP News Update - 13th March 2020
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** Party Leader responds to RHI Inquiry report
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Party Leader Arlene Foster speaking after today's launch of the RHI Inquiry report.
Today at Stormont the report of the public inquiry into the RHI scheme was published.

Commenting after its publication Party Leader Rt Hon Arlene Foster MLA said,

"I welcome the publication of the Renewable Heat Incentive Inquiry report. The report follows a lengthy inquiry into every aspect of the Scheme and I trust it will be foundational as we seek to rebuild public trust.

For my part I am determined to learn from my mistakes and to work to ensure that the mistakes and systematic failures of the past are not repeated.

In my conference speech to the Democratic Unionist Party in 2018 I indicated that the best of intentions do not make us immune from mistakes and misjudgements. Today I again apologise for my failings in the implementation of the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.

As I look back over the events of the last number of years and with the benefit of that hindsight there are many things that could and should have been handled in a very different way. However the unalterable truth is that none of us can change or relive that which has already happened but we can take the experience and use it to shape the road ahead.

At the Inquiry, I fulfilled my oath to answer truthfully; even when this meant admitting embarrassing matters such as not reading the technical legislation and instead only reading the explanatory notes. I did so because of my commitment to get to the truth, to learn every lesson and ensure I and others do better in the future.

Whilst I, my party and others have much to reflect upon, I am pleased that there has been no finding to support those who alleged improper motivation or indeed in some cases that I, or the party, was motivated by some financial considerations in the actions or omissions that took place. Amongst the legitimate criticisms, some chose to use the crisis to deliberately mislead.

This report will require careful consideration so that collectively we can ensure there is no repeat of the many systemic failings across Government.

I intend to study the report in greater detail and to make a fuller statement when the Assembly discusses the issue on Monday.

I wish to place on record my thanks to Sir Patrick Coughlin and his team for their detailed work and to my legal team for all their work on my behalf over the last three years."


** Party response to RHI report
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The Democratic Unionist Party accepts the Report and thanks the Inquiry for their meticulous work.

The Party co-operated fully with the Inquiry and employed external independent consultants to ensure complete fulfilment of the Inquiry’s requests.

The Party Leader has apologised personally and corporately for mistakes made because we should have done better. We will and must do better in the future. We will take time as an organisation to study the Report and learn lessons from its findings.

The Report details the failures and missed opportunities of all involved in the Scheme. Significantly, the Inquiry has concluded that:

“corrupt or malicious activity on the part of officials, ministers, or special advisers was not the cause of what went wrong with the NI RHI Scheme. . . . Rather the vast majority of what went wrong was due to an accumulation and compounding of errors and omissions over time and a failure of attention, on the part of all those involved in their differing roles, to identify the existence, significance or implications of those errors and omissions.”
Diary Page

Dates for your Diary


* Fermanagh & South Tyrone Constituency Dinner - Friday 20th March @ 7pm - Killyhevlin Hotel. Tickets £28.


* Spring Policy Conference - Saturday 21st March - Seagoe Hotel, Portadown


* Erne West Branch - Dinner & Auction - Friday 17th April @7.30pm - Gransha Hall. Guest Speaker, Edwin Poots MLA.


* Annual Party Conference - 24th & 25th October - Crowne Plaza Hotel, Shaws Bridge Belfast.

For more information or to express interest in events where not otherwise indicated, please email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Diary%20Dates%20-%20DUP%20Newsletter)

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