Housing secretary Michael Gove has sent Ulster Rugby a letter welcoming the club’s decision to finish its 20-year relationship with Kingspan.
Kingspan is the company that made some of the combustible insulation used in Grenfell Tower that contributed to the fire that killed 72 people on 14 June 2017.
The Grenfell Inquiry heard that Kingspan sold combustible foam insulation that burned like a “raging inferno”. Kingspan said its products made up only 5% of the insulation at Grenfell and were used without its recommendation.
“The witness testimony heard by the Grenfell Inquiry included a wealth of evidence that demonstrated a culture of reckless and deceptive behaviour from Kingspan employees,” Gove said in his letter to Ulster Rugby’s chief executive, Jonny Petrie.
“Notwithstanding this overwhelming testimony, Kingspan has done nothing to contribute financially to the remediation costs required to fix unsafe buildings.”
Gove added that he hoped the club’s decision would prompt other organisations "to reflect whether Kingspan’s conduct demonstrates values with which they wish to be associated”.
