Covid-19 payments 'made in error' will be recovered, says Dodds

All payments made in error through Stormont's emergency Covid grant scheme will be recovered, Economy Minister Diane Dodds has said.

A £10,000 payment was sent automatically to any business in receipt of small business rates relief, but some were found to be ineligible.

Mrs Dodds said of the 452 payments made incorrectly, 74 have been recouped by her department.

Three Sinn Féin offices each mistakenly received £10,000.

They were repaid but the delay in returning the payments has led to the resignations of four party members.

Former Foyle MP and Irish senator Elisha McCallion and West Tyrone MLA Catherine Kelly were among those who stepped down.

No Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politicians received the payment but a landlord who rents an office to DUP MP Paul Girvan received a grant, however this has now been repaid.

First Minister Arlene Foster has said she supports a call for police to investigate delays in repaying Covid support payments made in error.

Mrs Foster told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme her party could not "deal with a situation where tenants are taking responsibility for their landlords' actions".

"It's not the fact that people received the money in error, it's the fact that the money hadn't been returned after seven months."

In a statement issued on Monday, Cinq Properties Ltd, which rents office space to Mr Girvan, confirmed it did "receive an unsolicited £10,000 small business grant earlier this year".

"However, it has now transpired that the company was not entitled to this grant," the firm said.

"Several attempts were made to repay the funds and the £10,000 was repaid to an account of the Department of Finance on Friday."

Last week, Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald said the "incorrect" payments came to the attention of the party's leadership on Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 October and were repaid on those dates.

On Friday, it emerged Gary Middleton from the DUP had asked police to carry out a criminal investigation into the delayed repayments.

The PSNI said it was considering whether a criminal investigation is required.

"I think Gary is right to report this to the police," Mrs Foster said on Monday.

"The money is not theirs, the money was received in error and therefore it should have been returned."

She added that public representatives have "particular duty" over public funds.

"It's up to the police, of course, whether they decide to instigate a criminal investigation but I absolutely support my party colleague in the complaint he has made."

Payments were also sent to 52 wind turbine owners who were ineligible.

Appearing in the assembly on Monday to face MLAs about the matter, Mrs Dodds defended her department's handling of the scheme.

She said ineligible payments issued amounted to less than 2% of all grants approved by the Department of the Economy back in March.

"I am content my department took the necessary and swift action to support tens of thousands of businesses and jobs under threat caused by Covid-19," she added.

"My department is committed to undertaking a post-scheme evaluation and will put in a place a process."

The small business rates relief grant scheme closed on 20 October.

"Payments made in error will be recovered and we will be writing to everyone that we identify as being ineligible for payment and asking them to return the money," insisted the minister.

"It is important that we have proper accountability for taxpayers' money and indeed particularly important at a time like this when so many businesses and individuals are suffering."

The controversy was first revealed by the BBC's Stephen Nolan Show last week.

Following Ms Kelly's resignation, Sinn Féin's leader said the party's examination of the matter was now complete.

Meanwhile Sinn Féin have seven days to replace Ms Kelly as MLA for West Tyrone once her resignation letter has been handed in.