To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, due to the cross-cutting nature of the Islandmagee Gas Caverns proposals, whether marine licensing decisions will be made by the wider Executive.

The application for a marine construction licence in relation to the proposed gas storage project at Islandmagee is being considered by officials in DAERA Marine and Fisheries Division. The other required DAERA consents to abstract and discharge water are also under review. Due to the strategic nature of the proposed Islandmagee project, the award or withholding of these consents will be subject to my decision.

Officials are currently working through the determinations. Once I have seen this material, I will consider whether there is a need to refer the decision to the Executive Committee in line with section 2.4 of the Ministerial Code and the Executive Committee (Functions) Act (Northern Ireland) 2020.