'˜Email '˜critical' to RHI scandal will be made public' - Hamilton

Former economy minister Jonathan Bell told the media on Monday he was being prevented from publishing details of a message he claimed would shed light on the ongoing “cash of ash” controversy.

He identified the specific email as having been sent in January 2016 by the economy department permanent secretary Andrew McCormick to the head of the Civil Service with a “high” importance rating.

Mr Bell stated the exact time it was sent and also listed the recipients.

“The critical information is in that email and it should be release for public consumption,” he added.

In response, the current minister Simon Hamilton said the email would be placed in the Assembly library at the earliest opportunity, possibly today.

Mr Hamilton said: “Yes it will be published. I’m happy to publish...I think it’s actually an attachment to the email that is being referred to. That attachment will be printed out and given to the Assembly library where it will be lodged for everyone to see. We will do that asap.”

Asked if it would happy today (Monday), the minister responded: “Absolutely yes we will ensure that is done, because as Arlene herself has said in the last hour or so, to a chamber where people had been calling for her to come forward and answer questions walked away and refused to ask questions.

“Arlene has nothing to hide. We have called for an independent investigation, we want that to be speedy. We can have a discussion about the precise nature of it but what I can say is that we have been asking for this for some days behind the scenes.”