Sinn Féin and the DUP appeared on course for a major political struggle last night after Martin McGuinness called on Arlene Foster to stand aside as First Minister.
Mr McGuinness, the Deputy First Minister, issued a statement at teatime calling for an independent inquiry into the issues with the renewable heat incentive scheme and also urging Ms Foster to stand aside pending its findings.
His demand prompted a speedy rejection from the DUP, with a spokesman saying: “The First Minister does not take her instructions from Sinn Féin, but from the electorate.”
The Sinn Féin demand creates the potential for northern politics to unravel in the weeks ahead in the wake of a controversy that centres on a green energy scheme – set up by Ms Foster – which paid out subsidies well in excess of the costs of buying renewable fuel.
It is expected to cost taxpayers in Northern Ireland £400 million over the next 20 years amid claims of widespread abuse of the scheme.
Ms Foster will deliver a “full statement” on the matter on Monday in the Northern Assembly and outline how she hopes to reduce the extent of the potential overspend. She also faces a motion of no confidence tabled by the SDLP. This is unlikely to succeed, as to pass it must win a majority votes from unionist and nationalist members.
The DUP has the numbers to prevent the motion being carried. Sinn Féin is meeting on Saturday in Derry to decide how to vote in the confidence motion and also to plan its tactics for the coming period.
If both Sinn Féin and the DUP hold to their current positions there is a real prospect that it could result in the collapse of the current assembly and lead to fresh elections.
Mr McGuinness raised serious concerns about the credibility of the political process following allegations made by former DUP minister Jonathan Bell on the BBC on Thursday night over the running of the green biomass scheme.
Sources indicated that Sinn Féin was under pressure from grassroots supporters to take a harder line against Ms Foster.
Mr McGuinness said he made his call to the First Minister to stand down during a conversation on Friday afternoon.
‘Serious concern’
“I outlined my serious concern that the credibility of the political institutions is being undermined by the serious and ongoing allegations surrounding the design, operation, abuse and ending of the renewable heating incentive scheme,” he said.
“This includes allegations from a former DUP minster that there was corruption...This scheme has directly impacted on the public purse. Taxpayers’ money wasted in this scheme needs to be retrieved.
“It is my belief the only way to establish the truth, and rebuild the reputation of the institutions, is to urgently establish a fully independent investigation into this matter.”
Mr McGuinness said it would be “in the public interest” for Ms Foster to stand aside as First Minister “while that investigation is underway and at least until an initial assessment had been concluded into the veracity of all the allegations”.
He said: “That is what I would do if I was in this situation.”
In response, a DUP spokesman said, “The First Minister will not be stepping aside, but instead is focused on ensuring the full facts about this issue emerge and proposals are brought forward which can make a significant reduction in the future financial burden the Executive would face.”
