A judge has dismissed a legal challenge to measures for cutting the cost of Northern Ireland’s botched green energy scheme.
Compelling public interest justified interference in the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), the High Court in Belfast said, as the original provisions in 2012 supported business returns rather than contributed to the cost of the technology as they were intended to do.
Disagreements over the subsidy, designed to encourage businesses to burn alternatives to fossil fuel like wooden pellets, forced the collapse of the devolved Assembly earlier this year.
Regulations were passed at Stormont limiting the cost of the subsidy and this was judicially reviewed by 550 boiler owners.
Justice Adrian Colton said: “I don’t consider that they represent abuse of power.
“There is a compelling public interest justifying interference with the rights of the affected persons.”
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