To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, given the cross-cutting, significant and controversial nature of the proposed Islandmagee Gas Caverns storage project, whether he will bring the issue to the Executive Committee for final decisions.

I am cognisant of my responsibilities as set out at sections 20 and 28 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, as amended, and also of my commitments under the Ministerial Code to refer cross-cutting, significant and controversial matters to the Executive Committee. I considered this matter carefully based on advice provided by officials at the time and am content that the decision did not met the criteria for Executive Referral.