AQO 873/17-22

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 01/10/2020
Answered On Date: 15/10/2020
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, given the cross-cutting nature of the proposals, whether the decision on a marine licence for the Islandmagee Gas Storage Project will be made by the Executive.

Answer:

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.

My 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.