'˜No company in NI has been given permission to frack' - Bell

No licences have been issued for fracking at Woodburn Forest and there's no risk to the water supply from the exploratory drill project, according to Enterprise Minister Jonathan Bell.

By The Newsroom

Published 17th Mar 2016, 10:20 BST

Updated 17th Mar 2016, 10:24 BST

The DETI Minister was responding to MLAs during an oral answers to questions session in the Assembly on Monday about the InfraStrata scheme, which has attracted criticism in recent months from Stop the Drill campaigners.

Mr Bell said: “No company in Northern Ireland has been given permission to frack. InfraStrata has made it clear that the drilling in Woodburn Forest does not involve fracking, and a no-fracking clause has been included in InfraStrata plc’s lease with Northern Ireland Water.”

The minister also stated that his and other departments have indicated if there was any risk to the water supply, action would be taken.

“We are satisfied, from the information that we have, that those levels of risk are not there,” said Mr Bell.

Full details at http://www.theyworkforyou.com/ni/?id=2016-03-14.5.31&s=speaker%3A13887#g5.43