The long-term future of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) will be decided by the NI Executive, Economy Minister Diane Dodds has said.

In January, a cross-party commitment was given in the New Decade, New Approach deal to close RHI.

“The scheme is complex to say the least,” Minister Dodds told Stormont’s economy committee on Wednesday

“What I intend to do is bring forward all of the options to the Executive. I don’t want us to look at this in five years’ time and say we should have done this, that or the other,” she said.

The former MEP maintained that her department wanted the outcome of RHI to be fair for both scheme participants and taxpayers.

“People who acted in good faith should not be punished, but taxpayers must be sure that their money is well spent.”

Meanwhile, speaking in the Assembly earlier this week, Minister Dodds said that 600 sites have been inspected so far as part of the ongoing audit process of RHI-accredited boilers.

There are around 1,200 sites with RHI boilers in NI at present.

“It is hoped that 880 sites will have been inspected by the end of June and that the remaining ones will be done by the end of the year,” she said.