Steven Agnew reiterated calls for Mrs Foster to step aside

ARLENE Foster faced a renewed call to step aside yesterday as it became clear the inquiry into a botched green energy scheme will take much longer than six months to conclude.

The DUP leader had resisted calls to stand aside as first minister some months ago when the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scandal gathered pace.

Sinn Féin has previously said it will not share power with the DUP if Mrs Foster is put forward as first or deputy first minister while the RHI inquiry continues.

A party spokesman said last night its "position on Arlene Foster has been well rehearsed in the public domain".

It had originally been suggested that the inquiry could report within six months.

However the investigation's chair yesterday stressed that "no time limit has been set" and there are suggestions the inquiry could run to the end of next year.

Green Party leader Steven Agnew yesterday reiterated his call for Mrs Foster - who was enterprise minister when her department launched the botched renewable heating scheme in 2012 - to step aside.

"I believe that Arlene Foster should have stepped aside late last year. Indeed, if the then first minister had of stepped aside for a period of time, we could have side-stepped this entire political crisis," he said.

"We have had an assembly election in the intervening period and much has changed as a result. However, I hold firm that it would be best for Mrs Foster to put Northern Ireland ahead of party interests if we get to the stage of nominating a first minister."

The call came as talks aimed at restoring the power-sharing executive were put on hold until the general election is over.

Last week secretary of state James Brokenshire extended the Stormont talks deadline until June 29 in view of the snap June 8 Westminister poll.

The move was welcomed last night by both the SDLP and Sinn Féin while the UUP and Alliance expressed disappointment at the decision.

Sinn Féin leader Michelle O'Neill said it had been "a realistic decision" to pause the talks.

She also welcomed Mrs Foster's meetings yesterday with representatives of the Irish language-speaking community, which "could bode well for the future".

Mrs Foster met Pobal and Conradh na Gaelige.

Activists said the DUP had confirmed "they were looking at...legislative provision for the Irish language".

An Irish language act is a key demand of Sinn Féin in the negotiations.

The meetings followed controversial remarks in February when Mrs Foster said her party would never support an Irish language act.