Recommendation RHI-34: Rapid Response Capacity
From The Report of the Independent Public Inquiry into the Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Scheme, published 13 March 2020.
Recommendation
The Northern Ireland Civil Service should have regard to best practice elsewhere about how to respond effectively when serious problems emerge, such as those that did so with the non-domestic NI RHI in the summer of 2015, by, for example, establishing a parallel investigatory team and/or developing a specialist capacity within the internal audit service that can be rapidly deployed to assess the situation.
In brief (written by this site)
The Northern Ireland Executive accepted the recommendation in full in October 2021, stating that it had been partially addressed through measures including an internal audit review of whistleblowing and revisions to the civil service code of ethics (Northern Ireland Executive response, Oct 2021). In October 2024, the Northern Ireland Audit Office found the recommendation implemented, reporting that the Department of Finance confirmed arrangements ensuring all Heads of Internal Audit are trained investigators remain in place with no further developments (Northern Ireland Audit Office, Oct 2024).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
These recommendations can be accepted in full.
They have been partially addressed through:
• the revision of the NICS Code of Ethics;
• the GIAFIS review of whistleblowing;
• the Leadership Development training for senior officials.
Further work is required to
• implement the remaining recommendations of the GIAFIS review;
• Launch and promote the revised NICS Code of Ethics
• develop an encompassing ‘Raising Concerns’ policy informed by the NIAO Good Practice Guide;
• Provide appropriate guidance to managers, staff and the public about addressing concerns in the NICS
• endorse a culture of curiosity and challenge;
• enhance the role of Departmental Boards, including the role of NEDs and Ministers, and review the remit and agenda of Boards.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: These are the Northern Ireland Executive's words from Annex A, "Summary of Recommendations and Response", published on this page with the Executive Response to the RHI Inquiry Report Recommendations and Action Plan on 7 October 2021, the day the Executive agreed it. The Department of Finance publishes the response, but it is the Executive's, so the site records it under the Executive. The annex is a PDF that the publisher asks automated readers not to fetch, so the site cites the page that links it.
Site note: Annex A gives this passage once, for the recommendations under its heading "RAISING CONCERNS": recommendations 32b, 34, 35 and 36. It is the Executive's response to the group, not to this recommendation alone.
Delivery
No statement on delivery from Northern Ireland Executive has been found in the sources searched (last checked 31 January 2026). This is separate from the response above.
What other bodies have found
In their own words. These do not change the delivery statement above.
NI Audit Office (15 October 2024)
Implemented.
In respect of previous actions undertaken which resulted in an NIAO assessment of Implemented by 2022, DoF has now confirmed that, in 2024:
these arrangements remain in place and are still operating as described [all Heads of Internal Audit are trained investigators]; and
there are no further developments to note in the area.
Site note: This is the Northern Ireland Audit Office's assessment, from Appendix 4 of its second report on the Inquiry's recommendations (15 October 2024), the column "2024 NIAO Assessment". The Audit Office monitors implementation at the Inquiry's request; its assessment is shown beside the Executive's own account and does not set the recommendation's status.
Source
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Northern Ireland Executive
Response - NI Audit Office
Finding