SINN Féin has moved to clarify the context for Máirtín Ó Muilleoir's audacious claim that he had a role in delaying the closure of the RHI.
Written evidence released by the inquiry into the botched scheme also shows the South Belfast MLA pledged to maximise the number approvals for the RHI in the weeks before it was shut down amid concerns of a massive overspend.
In an email exchange from February 2016 with an applicant to the botched scheme, the future Stormont finance minister said he was "pleased" that DUP minister Jonathan Bell chose to delay the scheme's closure but "very disappointed for all affected" by the decision to end it weeks later.
It is understood the inquiry currently has no plans to call former Sinn Féin ministers or special advisers to give oral evidence.
The email correspondence involving Mr Ó Muilleoir centres on discussions with Aisling Brady, community development manager at the Torrent Complex in Donaghmore, Co Tyrone, which had applied to join the scheme but was running out of time to get accredited.
Ms Brady stressed to the Sinn Féin MLA, , then a member of Stormont's Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, that the centre would be out of pocket if the scheme closed before their boiler was installed and accredited.
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"Thank you for your campaign against this unjust decision (to close the scheme)," she says.
Mr Ó Muilleoir responded: "I am very disappointed for all affected though am pleased the minister did not go ahead with plan to close scheme (sic) next week as proposed until we protested in committee and question time.
"We are assessing our options at the minute and will do our utmost to have as many projects as possible green-lighted."
Evidence has previously emerged which shows Sinn Féin was complicit in efforts to keep the RHI open for a further two weeks after Mr Bell wanted it shut down.
Minutes from civil service head Malcolm McKibbin show a meeting took place on February 9 2016 between then First Minister Arlene Foster and then Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness where the first item on the agenda was the closure of RHI and a discussion about whether "the scheme should be left open until a date to be determined to allow for the completion of applications already in progress".
The meeting shows that Mr McGuinness's special adviser Aidan McAteer was "to progress this".
Sinn Féin declined to respond to a series of questions from The Irish News.
