Northern Ireland's deputy first minister to resign
Quote:
Martin McGuinness has said he will resign as Northern Ireland's deputy first minister in protest against the handling of a botched heating scheme that could cost taxpayers £490m.
The Sinn Féin MLA's resignation will take effect from 17:00 GMT.
He cited the Democratic Unionist Party's (DUP) conduct over the scandal surrounding the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme as the reason.
His decision to quit is likely to lead to a snap election in the region.
He said First Minister Arlene Foster has a "clear conflict of interest" in the RHI scandal and her position is "not credible or tenable".
Mr McGuinness said people should be allowed "to make their own judgement on these issues democratically at the ballot box".
The scandal has engulfed politics in Northern Ireland over the past month, with DUP leader Mrs Foster facing repeated calls to resign - all of which she has refused.
She set up the RHI scheme in 2012 when she was enterprise minister in an attempt by the Northern Ireland Executive to encourage production of heat from renewable sources.
But those who applied received more in subsidies than they paid for fuel, and the scheme became heavily oversubscribed, with the overspend estimated to be almost half a billion pounds.
Not surprised.
Glad he has the decency to do so, the First Minister should too after that massive **** up
I agree she should go.
Speaking as someone who comes from Northern Ireland I wish people would stop voting so tribally and actually bring parties in who represent more than just Protestant vs Catholic