Recommendation RHI-36: Learning from Failures
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 develop a better process to learn from past failures, one that goes beyond the traditional method of revising and circulating internal guidance. Leaders within the Senior Civil Service must be more systematic, persistent and proactive in explaining to staff what changes are needed and supporting staff to adapt their working practices. A tougher level of external scrutiny, such as from the nonexecutives on the boards of Departments and from strengthened Assembly Committees, while no guarantee of success, would increase scrutiny and help ensure that systematic changes are made and sustained.
In brief (written by this site)
In a March 2024 progress report, the Department of Finance stated that implementation was in progress, noting that the Northern Ireland Civil Service Board leads on corporate responses to risks and failures across the service and was scheduled to receive its first report on raising concerns arrangements in April 2024 (Department of Finance, Mar 2024). The Northern Ireland Audit Office subsequently found in October 2024 that the recommendation was implemented (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.
About this summary
This recommendation asks for cultural or behavioural change, which is difficult to verify from published sources alone. The record reflects policy commitments rather than measured outcomes.
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
Department of Finance says in progress (14 March 2024)
The role of Boards in monitoring the receipt and handling of concerns is a key aspect of the Raising a Concern Policy Framework, published January 2023.
The Non-Executive Directors’’ Forum was briefed in June 2023.
In addition, the Policy Framework sets out a crucial role for the NICS Board in commissioning and considering a report on the effectiveness of RaC arrangements across the Service.
The first report will be provided to the NICS Board in [April 2024] Leadership in the effectiveness of the NICS sits with the NICS Board, including a responsibility to ‘address issues of strategic significance facing the NICS as a whole or constituent parts of it’.
This includes the corporate response to Service-wide risks and failures.
From: Implementation of the Recommendations of the RHI Inquiry (publication page for three documents)
Site note: This page publishes three monitoring tables: the Department of Finance's of 1 September 2023 and 14 March 2024, and the Executive's table of 19 February 2025 of commitments on the remaining recommendations. None of the three lists every recommendation. The row carries the table's own cell for this recommendation: the "Updates" column, or where that is empty in 2023 the "Status of further work" column, and in 2025 the "Commitment" column. The tables are PDFs that the publisher asks automated readers not to fetch, so the site cites the page that links them.
Earlier statement on delivery (1)
Department of Finance (1 September 2023)
The role of Boards in monitoring the receipt and handling of concerns is a key aspect of the Raising a Concern Policy Framework, published January 2023.
The Non-Executive Directors’’ Forum was briefed in June 2023.
In addition, the Policy Framework sets out a crucial role for the NICS Board in commissioning and considering a report on the effectiveness of RaC arrangements across the Service.
Leadership in the effectiveness of the NICS sits with the NICS Board, including a responsibility to ‘address issues of strategic significance facing the NICS as a whole or constituent parts of it’. This includes the corporate response to Service-wide risks and failures.
From: Implementation of the Recommendations of the RHI Inquiry (publication page for three documents)
Site note: This page publishes three monitoring tables: the Department of Finance's of 1 September 2023 and 14 March 2024, and the Executive's table of 19 February 2025 of commitments on the remaining recommendations. None of the three lists every recommendation. The row carries the table's own cell for this recommendation: the "Updates" column, or where that is empty in 2023 the "Status of further work" column, and in 2025 the "Commitment" column. The tables are PDFs that the publisher asks automated readers not to fetch, so the site cites the page that links them.
What other bodies have found
In their own words. These do not change the delivery statement above.
NI Audit Office (15 October 2024)
Implemented.
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 - Department of Finance
Delivery statement - NI Audit Office
Finding