Anderson seeks EU meeting over RHI scandal

Sinn Féin MEP Martina Anderson has requested an urgent meeting with the European Commissioner for Competition to raise concerns about the Renewable Heating Incentive scandal.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Jan 2017, 09:52 BST
Updated 24th Jan 2017, 10:58 BST
Martina Anderson, pictured at her desk in the European Parliament.Martina Anderson, pictured at her desk in the European Parliament.
Martina Anderson, pictured at her desk in the European Parliament.

Ms Anderson has now written today to European Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, to request a meeting.

She said: “In 2012 the EU Commission gave approval to the then Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment Minister Arlene Foster to launch the RHI scheme.

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“The Commission stated that only ‘useful heat’ will be eligible under RHI scheme and even included provision that it should not provide incentives to waste heat.

Ms Anderson said that given the handling of the RHI scheme, “we now need to know whether the Commission is planning to take any action.”

Ms Anderson said there were several important questions which need to be answered around whether the Commission was aware there was no cap in the north, and whether any advice or guidance was offered to the then DETI minister.

“The Commissioner has already acknowledged my letter and I look forward to the meeting to discuss these concerns,” she said.

Related topics:Martina AndersonArlene Foster