ARLENE Foster has said MLAs will have "ample opportunity" to ask questions about the RHI inquiry's forthcoming report but it is unclear when the DUP leader will face the assembly after Sir Patrick Coghlin releases his findings in 10 days' time.
The Irish News revealed last week that the first minister and deputy first minister will be overseas when the much-anticipated report is published on the afternoon of Friday, March 13.
The timing of the report's publication, which has been attributed to "logistics and availability of panel members", has been criticised, coming as it does ahead of holiday weekend.
Mrs Foster and Michelle O'Neill are scheduled to travel to the US next week ahead of the annual St Patrick's Day celebrations.
The assembly will sit on the Monday after the report is released but it is the deputy first minister who is currently scheduled to field questions that day on behalf of the Executive Office. Mrs Foster is not expected to face ministers' questions until the end of the month.
Responding to a question from Alliance MLA Andrew Muir in the assembly yesterday, the DUP leader said the report would go first to the Department of Finance, which originally commissioned it in January 2017.
"We will then of course consider that report and I understand the minister of finance will come to this place and answer any questions in relation to that," she said.
Pressed by Mr Muir on whether the first response to the report's findings would be in the assembly, the first minister said: "I'm sure there will be ample opportunity for myself and the deputy first minister – and indeed anybody else – to answer questions in relation to the inquiry as it is quite a long report..."
