Belfast City Council tonight agreed to call for a full public inquiry into the botched Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme.
During a lengthy debate it was warned that future generations will be left to pick up much of the estimated £490 million overspend bill.
A motion proposed by Independent councillor Ruth Patterson “to call on the Secretary of State to initiate a full public inquiry into the shambles that is the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme” was accepted following a council vote.
At one stage during the debate, councillor Ruth Patterson began to cry.
She said: “There is a little girl in the Royal Victoria Hospital who is terminally ill, who is not going to last much longer.
“When I look at us squabbling here tonight and £400 million gone up in smoke, I just think what that £400 million could have done for the health service in this province. It just puts everything into perspective this evening.
“This scheme is a farce, a waste of hundreds of millions – how many hundreds we don’t even know yet – of taxpayers’ money,” Ms Patterson added.
SDLP councillor Brian Heading said he was concerned that future generations will be left to pay for the scheme.
“Schools have been told to put their budget on hold. That indicates to me a financial crisis. Is this a scrambling around to try and find the money, the half a billion pounds?” he asked.
He added: “Our taxes are going to be handed out to pay for this. More than that, our children will be paying for this … maybe even our children’s children.
“That’s why there is a demand for justice so that we can see the documents. It was the audit trail, who advised who? Will we ever see the documents? Will they ever come to light for people to examine them?”
Sinn Fein failed in an attempt to have the motion amended to call for an independent investigation, instead of a public inquiry.
Sinn Fein councillor Jim McVeigh claimed an independent investigation would get to the truth quicker than a public inquiry.
“This matter is too serious to treat lightly,” he said.
“We recognise we are in the middle of huge political crisis. Our institutions have been brought into disrepute. The public want the truth, they want people to be held accountable for their actions if anyone is guilty of corruption or incompetence. The public wants to get to the truth as quickly as possible.”
Ms Patterson’s motion was carried after 23 councillors voted for, 12 voted against and 18 abstained.
