THE DUP's chief executive Timothy Johnston has been pressed on his RHI denials after an email emerged suggesting knowledge of issues with the scheme.
The RHI inquiry has heard claims from Timothy Cairns, a former DUP special adviser, that Mr Johnston was involved in delaying cost controls – contributing to the scheme running hugely over budget.
Mr Johnston – a former Spad to three former first ministers including Arlene Foster – has denied any role in cost control delays for the flawed RHI scheme.
But returning to the RHI inquiry, Mr Johnston was questioned on the contents of an email Mr Cairns sent to him in August 2015 before crucial cost controls were introduced.
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In the email, Mr Cairns said the pair "need to get a catch-up on renewable heat", adding: "If we are to deviate from GB policy, it will require a ministerial direction."
Mr Johnston said he "can't be absolutely 100 per cent certain" that he read the email but "probably skimmed it".
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He did not consider the email showed a prior knowledge of issues relating to the RHI scheme.
But inquiry chair Sir Patrick Coghlin said a ministerial submission in July 2015 was to bring in cost controls.
Referring to the email, he said: "Now the possibilities are he has got that out of the air and is just putting it down in the hope that you have some response.
"The other, and I suggest more probable one, is that he's putting it there because there has been an exchange at some stage between you and Mr Cairns.
"And the one that jumps out of the evidence so far is his evidence that you told him there will be no tariffs.
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"Which you have denied – but on this email, that fits."
Mr Johnston said he did not have interactions over the course of that summer on RHI.
He said that by August of that year Stormont was "on life support" due to other political issues he was focused on.
Launched in 2012, the non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) was designed to encourage businesses to switch from burning fossil fuels to more sustainable alternatives.
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But the subsidies were worth more than the cost of wood pellets, encouraging firms to 'burn to earn'.
Delays in introducing cost controls brought a spike in applications and pushed the multi-million-pound government scheme hugely over budget.
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Who or what are special advisers?
