Northern Ireland

RHI: List has 874 separate payments

Some of the recipients of the botched RHI scheme have been published by the Department for the Economy
Some of the recipients of the botched RHI scheme have been published by the Department for the Economy Some of the recipients of the botched RHI scheme have been published by the Department for the Economy

THE list of Renewable Heat Incentive claimants released yesterday only includes around half of those in receipt of the generous government subsidy.

It details 874 installations, although many of the companies involved have more than one boiler and appear several times.

RHI in-depth reports: Only half of claimants named

In total 400 companies and other organisations are represented.

However, only firms that have received more than £5,000 have been named by the Department for the Economy.

And boiler-owners who applied to the scheme as individuals have not yet been named.

The scheme has more than 2,000 recipients in total.

Yesterday's list was published after a judge ruled earlier this month that the names of companies could be released by then economy minister Simon Hamilton.

However, the minister was prohibited from disclosing the names of individuals until any objections they have to being identified are properly considered.

The High Court ruling came after more than 500 members of the Renewable Heat Association of Northern Ireland took legal action in a bid to stop the economy minister disclosing their details.

Mr Hamilton ceased to be minister when polls closed in the snap assembly election on March 2.

The decision on publication then fell to the department's permanent secretary.