The row which Environment Minister Arlene Foster found herself embroiled in last week rumbles on as the National Trust moved to intervene when it appeared before a Stormont Committee on Tuesday.

The Trust owns the Causeway and has expressed misgivings after Mrs Foster said she was minded to grant planning permission to a private developer

Enterprise Minister Department of Enterprise Trade and Industry Minister, Nigel Dodds is also appearing before the scrutiny committee after he decided to drop plans costing over £21 million to build a public facility at the World Heritage site.

North Antrim businessman, Seymour Sweeney, who wants to develop the site on his land, has insisted he has nothing to hide despite sharing Party membership with Mrs Foster and Mr Dodds.

Committee chairman, Mark Durkan from the SDLP said: "I think people want to know more about what engagement or interaction there was between the Departments and between two or more Ministers in respect of this When senior officials said last week, that this should be seen as an example of joined up government, I did reiterate that it could be seen as lined up government."

Moyle District Council is also to appear before MLAs. On Friday, Councillors voted in favour of building a centre in public hands. Sinn Fein, which also favours public ownership, has warned there could be a conflict of interest between the two DUP Ministers and Mr Sweeney.

This has been denied by Mrs Foster and Mr Dodds who have defended their joined up government proposal which, they argue, could save the public purse £21 million.