DUP peer Maurice Morrow has been criticized for making light of the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal in an exchange with his party leader.

Lord Morrow was caught on camera making a quip about wood pellet boilers on Friday.

As he and Mrs. Foster were posing for a picture, right, the photographer urged the pair to smile as it was “a lovely sunny day.”

Lord Morrow responded: “It’s hot. Yes, the boilers are all working.”

Mrs. Foster replied: “Stop.”

The flippant remark was criticized by Ulster Unionist MLA Rosemary Barton.

“The financial impact on Northern Ireland’s finances cannot be underestimated yet here we have Lord Morrow of the DUP making frivolous remarks about it with his party leader, Arlene Foster, at their nomination for that same election,” she said.

“He should catch himself on – if it hadn’t been for his party’s handling of the RHI debacle and Sinn Féin’s opportunism, we wouldn’t be having these elections which will cost the taxpayer at least another £5 million.”

The DUP peer’s remarks were also criticized on social media.

Alliance leader Naomi Long tweeted: “Nothing as amusing as risking £480m of taxpayers’ money, Lord Morrow? Except this joke’s on all

of us.”