▁the ▁fuel , ▁and ▁thus ▁many ▁applic ants ▁were ▁making ▁prof its ▁simply ▁by ▁he ating ▁their ▁properties . ▁ ▁The ▁political ▁sc andal ▁first ▁came ▁to ▁light ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁by ▁which ▁point ▁F oster ▁had ▁become ▁Northern ▁Ireland ' s ▁First ▁Minister . ▁F oster ▁refused ▁to ▁res ign ▁or ▁stand ▁aside ▁during ▁any ▁inqu iry , ▁saying ▁that ▁to ▁do ▁so ▁would ▁be ▁seen ▁as ▁adm itting ▁to ▁some ▁cul p ability ▁in ▁the ▁matter . ▁ ▁The ▁affair ▁ultimately ▁caused ▁S inn ▁F é in ' s ▁Martin ▁Mc Gu in ness ▁to ▁res ign ▁in ▁protest ▁as ▁deput y ▁First ▁Minister ▁of ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁after ▁ten ▁years ▁in ▁office , ▁cit ing ▁F oster ' s ▁ref us al ▁to ▁stand ▁aside ▁from ▁her ▁role ▁while ▁an ▁investigation ▁took ▁place , ▁among ▁other ▁matters . ▁In ▁the ▁power - sh aring ▁government , ▁Mc Gu in ness ' ▁res ignation ▁also ▁meant ▁that ▁F oster ▁was ▁removed ▁from ▁her ▁role ▁as ▁First ▁Minister , ▁which ▁in ▁turn ▁caused ▁the ▁Executive ▁Office ▁of ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁to ▁collapse ▁for ▁the ▁subsequent ▁three ▁years . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 6 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁S inn ▁F é in ▁refused ▁to ▁re - n omin ate ▁a ▁deput y ▁First ▁Minister ▁in ▁protest ▁at ▁what ▁they ▁called ▁the ▁" ar rog ance ▁and ▁dis res pect ▁of ▁the ▁D UP ", ▁thereby ▁trigger ing ▁a ▁snap