NIAO Progress Assessment Role
The Inquiry recommends a role in future for the Northern Ireland Audit Office in assessing and validating the extent of progress in implementing the lessons learned from the NI RHI scheme and implementing those recommendations, including reporting on such progress periodically to the Northern Ireland Assembly and the people of Northern Ireland.
How was this assessed?
Response
Accepted
Response
AcceptedResponsibility of NIAO. This second report (October 2024) fulfills the recommendation; periodic reporting mechanism now established. First report published June 2022, second report October 2024.
Progress Timeline
NIAO Second Progress Report (October 2024): Not formally assessed — this recommendation is about the NIAO's own role in assessing and reporting on implementation progress. This Second Progress Report (October 2024), following the First Progress Report (March 2022), constitutes the implementation of this recommendation.
Published Evidence
Published assessments of implementation progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Check the source type badge to see whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
NIAO has published two substantive progress reports (March 2022 and October 2024) monitoring implementation. Found 26 of 42 recommendations implemented but 5 unlikely to be addressed and record keeping has regressed.
View detailed findings
The NIAO has fulfilled its monitoring mandate. The first report (March 2022) found 18 recommendations implemented. The second report (October 2024) found 26 of 42 implemented (62%), 11 likely to be implemented in future, and 5 unlikely to be fully addressed. Two of those 5 have actually regressed since 2022. C&AG Dorinnia Carville described the overall pace as concerning.