Workers Party Representative Tony Dorrian calls on the Department for the Economy to come clean on the proposal to close the RHI scheme which was the Biggest taxpayer Rip Off ever.
Mr Dorrian said that press reports indicates that in fact this scheme will not be closing but instead will continue for another decade until 2036 with increased payments. He added we have seen billions of taxpayers money going up in smoke to satisfy the greed of those who had cronies in the system. This scheme should have been closed long before now as the abuse of the scheme is well documented. Shed’s and barns with boilers running twenty four seven with doors and windows wide open. All of this was taking place while the draconian welfare reform was agreed and introduced by the Executive.
The Workers Party is calling on the Executive to stop this madness. The plan according to a newspaper report would dramatically increase the payments quadrupling them and locking them in for a another decade whilst making the scheme easier to abuse. This department which was responsible for the introduction and oversight of this “burn , burn and fill your boots it’s money for nothing” philosophy cannot be allowed to continue this cavalier attitude to public money.
Mr Dorrian finished by saying at a time when poverty is growing, multiple deprivations and health inequalities are growing, and food banks are increasing. Our health and social care services, educational ,and special needs services, are all being underfunded. Pensioners and working class families are having to decide between eating and heating, these proposals are unconscionable. The scrutiny committee needs to do its job and all of the parties need to call a halt to this insanity. The needs and priorities of working class people needs to come before multi- national corporations and those who have accumulated huge profits from this scheme.