SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood MLA has responded to revelations that while she was Agriculture Minister, Michelle O’Neill’s department encouraged farmers to sign up to the controversial RHI scheme during the notable spike in applications that resulted in a massive cost to the public purse.
Mr Eastwood said: “There remains a strong view that Sinn Féin has yet to reveal the whole story of its involvement in the ‘cash for ash’ scandal.
“I agree with Michelle O’Neill that this scheme was “entirely of the DUP’s making” but why did Sinn Féin, as their partners in Government, not try to unmake it.
“Sinn Féin knew about the scandal of this scheme in February 2016 yet waited until a media and opposition storm some 7 months later to wake up to its significance.
“Michelle O’Neill knew about this scandal in February 2016.
“Yet it is now revealed that her department was hosting seminars during the period of the damaging spike. Essentially these seminars were telling farmers to ‘get in quick’.
“If we’re not allowing Arlene Foster to hide behind the decisions of officials, then we can’t let Michelle O’Neill.
“If Michelle O’Neill is serious about joining the opposition in seeking full transparency from the DUP, then Sinn Féin must open themselves up to full transparency’
The £500 million cash for ash scandal
“Sinn Féin must answer what they knew, when they knew and what they did about it?
“What action did the Sinn Féin Finance Minister take when he knew that this scheme was creating a back hole in the public finances.
“I would challenge Sinn Féin to publish all its records and actions on the ‘cash for ash scandal’.
“The information the Assembly and the Committee had on this scandal is on the public record. The information Sinn Féin had on this scandal is not.
“If Sinn Féin are truly different from the DUP then this information should not have to be dragged kicking and screaming from them.
“They should volunteer to publish it themselves.”
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