Debate contribution: Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025
Debate contribution by Dr Caoimhe Archibald on .
- MLA
- Dr Caoimhe Archibald
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 1 December 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Executive Committee Business
- Heading
- Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5269350
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I beg to move
Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-Leas-Cheann Comhairle.
Today, I seek the Assembly's approval of the draft Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025.
As Members will be aware, my Department is progressing legislation to close the non-domestic RHI Scheme, in line with the New Decade, New Approach commitment and Executive approvals. The closure legislation includes a Bill to provide the Department with the powers to introduce closure regulations, and the closure regulations themselves.
The Bill was introduced to the Assembly on 6 October and is currently at Committee Stage. With respect to the closure regulations, a public consultation on the proposals for closure concluded on 24 November. A total of 216 responses were received, and I put on record my thanks to those who took the time to provide their views on the closure arrangements. My officials are working at pace to summarise the responses and prepare a consultation report as quickly as possible. I do not intend to go into detail on the proposals for closure today. That is a discussion to be had when the closure regulations are being considered. The draft legislation relates to an increase in tariffs for small and medium biomass installations to be implemented now, in advance of the finalisation of the closure legislation. The current tariffs for small and medium biomass were introduced in 2019 using the best information available at the time. However, substantial movements in fuel prices mean that it is appropriate to increase the tariff. The draft regulations therefore substitute a new schedule 5 into the principal regulations. Its effect will be to increase the tariffs for accredited biomass boilers falling within the small biomass, lower medium biomass and upper medium biomass bandings. The increased tariffs will apply from the day after the regulations are approved by the Assembly. Members will be aware that my Department brought regulations before the Assembly in 2024 to increase the tariff levels for small and medium biomass installations. The tariff levels set out in the regulations before us today have been developed following further analysis of fuel prices carried out by the Department during the course of this year and extensive engagement with stakeholders and independent experts. The draft Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025, which I bring before the Assembly today, are an important step to ensure fairness to participants while closure legislation is being progressed. I would welcome the Assembly's support.
408 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.02 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.68).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.02 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.01 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.01 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.68 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.02 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-related subject | 0.58 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.42 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Sport (including the GAA), the arts and cultural bodies | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 14:03 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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