Debate contribution: RHI Inquiry Recommendations: Implementation
Debate contribution by Ms Diana Armstrong on .
- MLA
- Ms Diana Armstrong
- Party at the time
- Ulster Unionist Party
- Date
- 5 November 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- RHI Inquiry Recommendations: Implementation
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4632066
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Members who tabled the motion, which addresses the Northern Ireland Audit Office's second report on progress made on implementing the RHI public inquiry recommendations. The motion also addresses the critical need for good governance, scrutiny and — here is that word again — transparency in the Assembly. I have said it before, and I will say it again: the RHI debacle damaged public confidence in our institutions and in this place. Institutional failings, alongside a lack of accountability and responsibility from certain corners of our political sphere, not only failed those who signed up to the scheme but unearthed a series of failings of governance in this institution. The findings of the Northern Ireland Audit Office's second report, which was published on 15 October, actively demonstrate the urgent need for action. As other Members have said, the report is a damning indictment of the lack of progress made on a number of key Audit Office recommendations. The report makes clear that the Department of Finance has not acted with sufficient pace to implement fully the recommendations following the RHI inquiry almost four and half years ago. That should be extremely concerning, especially when we want to restore public confidence in our institutions. We must implement the report's recommendations in full and without further delay. Partial measures or superficial reforms will not suffice. Rather, we need to demonstrate a genuine commitment to rectifying the mistakes of the past and ensure that such failures do not occur again. A number of key recommendations must be addressed, such as inadequate risk management, oversight shortcomings and issues in Departments with cultural resistance. The report also highlights the fact that the Executive subcommittee on reform has not met since 2020. That is a glaring oversight that must be addressed immediately. The Minister must urgently address the deficiencies identified in the report, including by re-establishing the Executive subcommittee on reform and ensuring that it meets regularly to oversee the implementation of the recommendations. It is time to turn the page on RHI and get our institutions back on track. Only the Minister is holding us back. Let us commit to the proposed reforms and work together to rebuild the public's faith in our institutions.
371 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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