Call For First Minister To Step Aside

Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Foster will face a vote of no confidence on Monday, 19 December, over the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme.

The SDLP is bringing the motion before the Assembly and Sinn Fein is calling for Mrs Foster to step aside.

Sinn Féin MLA Martin McGuinness said: "It is my firm belief the only way to establish the truth of what has occurred and to begin to restore public faith in the institutions is for an independent, time-framed and robust investigation to take place.

"The First Minister should stand aside to allow this. There is also an urgent need to minimise the cost of the scheme to the public purse. 

"Given the First Minister's failure thus far to accept this Sinn Féin will bring forward a proposal to the Assembly which calls on the First Minister to stand aside until this independent investigation brings forward a preliminary report.  

"We are calling on all parties and MLAs to support this."

SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood said: "In light of the First Minister's continued failure to answer the most serious questions about the biggest public finance scandal in the history of devolution, it's clear that the matter has to be forced. The SDLP will table a motion of no confidence to exclude Arlene Foster as First Minister while she continues to face these critical questions and until she has accounted for her conduct in relation to the Renewable Heat Incentive fiasco.

"Ms Foster should follow the precedent set by her predecessor and resign to restore confidence in the office of First Minister while these questions hang over her. She has lost all credibility and anything less will further erode faith in our institutions. If the First Minister will not stand aside, then the Assembly must act to remove her from office and fully scrutinise this scandal."

(CD/LM)