Professional Development
RHI Inquiry · The Report of the Independent Public Inquiry into the Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Scheme · Issued 13 March 2020 · Addressed to: Northern Ireland Executive
Source — verbatim from the inquiry
●Inquiry recommendation
The Northern Ireland Civil Service should take steps to draw on best practice from other jurisdictions to provide more support for professions within the civil service. The Inquiry specifically recommends: (a) the establishment of a project management profession with a named senior leader and a comprehensive programme of professional development; and (b) the development of improved professional opportunities for finance professionals and for economists within the Northern Ireland Civil Service.
RHI Inquiry, The Report of the Independent Public Inquiry into the Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Scheme · 13 Mar 2020 Source PDF →
Published evidence summary
Publicly available evidence relating to this recommendation:
- The NIAO Second Progress Report (October 2024) assessed both sub-parts as Implemented: sub-recommendation 17(1) on drawing on best practice from other jurisdictions and sub-recommendation 17(2) on professional development for finance and economics staff (NIAO Second Progress Report, October 2024).
Response — verbatim from government
●Northern Ireland Executive
[Note: The NI Executive responded to recommendations 8-18, 24, 26-28, 32b, 34-36 together as a group under the 'Professional Skills, Resourcing, Record Keeping and Raising Concerns' themes.] NI Executive Response (October 2021): These recommendations can be accepted in full. They have been addressed in work to date through: initial steps to establish a project delivery profession which will, once in place, take forward the recommended programme of professional development; the introduction of a Learning and Development Framework for the NICS Economist Profession; the development and issuing of a new protocol for engaging with HMT. Further work is required to: complete the establishment of the Project Delivery profession, including the appointment of a Head of Profession; deliver the strategy under development for the NICS finance profession; establish a framework for engagement between the neighbouring administrations.
Northern Ireland Executive · 7 Oct 2021 Written response →
Evidence trail — what's actually happened since
- 15 Oct 2024 NIAO Second Progress Report (October 2024): Implemented. Both sub-parts on best practice from other jurisdictions (17(1)) and professional development for finance/economics (17(2)) assessed as Implemented via NICS People Strategy and updated training. Previous Implemented assessment maintained. Source →
Each entry above links to a primary source — gov.uk written statement, consultation response document, or inspection report. The Index does not characterise government intent; it tracks what has been published.
How this page is built
Source and Response are verbatim from primary documents. The Evidence trail records published activity since — written statements, consultation outcomes, inspection findings, parliamentary references. The Index does not paraphrase or characterise intent; it tracks what has been published. Where the evidence is the absence of action (a missed deadline, a slipped timetable), that absence is documented from primary sources rather than inferred.
This recommendation's data is verified periodically against primary sources. The Index is monitored for staleness weekly.