Jack Chambers
Dublin West · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“We have been clear about the absolute necessity to protect the huge ecosystem of digital and infrastructure investment in Ireland over the past ten to 20 years. Part of that has been the wider and ongoing discussion on the security of subsea cables.”
“Progress in achieving balanced regional development and detailing the delivery of the NDP is monitored through regular updates on the capital investment tracker and the MyProjectIreland interactive map viewer.”
“The tax strategy group examines the different options that are available to the Government during the summer. That informs the respective tax package that will advance. We have to honest about the measures we take in terms of taxation. They have to be sustainable and affordable in the long term. USC brings in about €5.5 billion per year.”
“I am not privy to the interaction the Deputy had with the Minister for housing on this, but the Local Government Fund distributes the respective funding across different local authorities, and Galway County Council and Galway City Council would receive allocations through that. I was clear in my initial response to Deputy O'Hara.”
“My Department has taken a proactive and co-ordinated approach to supporting the responsible and effective adoption of AI across the public service.”
“More broadly, the achievement of balanced regional development is a key priority of this Government and is at the heart of Project Ireland 2040, which includes the national planning framework, which sets out the wider spatial strategy for the next 20 years, along with the national development plan, NDP.”
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“I agree. BusConnects should continue to evolve, particularly with increased development in parts of west Dublin and elsewhere. It should future-proof development as it is occurring. I support the Deputy on that. The NTA needs to be developing that real-time adjustment to BusConnects so that we future-proof our bus system for residential development, which is being built out in certain areas. The NTA needs to prioritise that. We should not leave any new community islanded without bus connectivity. BusConnects needs to advance in parallel with the wider development. I have seen certain issues in my own constituency where people do not have the level of connectivity I believe they should have in certain parts of it and maybe in terms of frequency and reliability. That is a shared objective across our two constituencies.”
“I appreciate the Deputy's advocacy and input on the DART+ and DART+ South West programmes. We want to deliver many of these projects over the next number of years. That is why the continued uplift of transport investment is essential. On a positive note, we are seeing many of these projects move out of the planning system now to allow us to move to procurement for BusConnects and DART+. The Deputy referenced the importance of delivering this low-carbon transport in terms of housing supply and ensuring that a lot of the homes that are planned for some of the DART+ lines are built in line with our wider public transport investment. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, is managing the annualised allocations from a transport perspective.”
“BusConnects is an investment programme designed to fundamentally transform the bus systems in our major cities, so that journeys for passengers by bus will be fast, reliable, punctual, convenient and affordable. There are 12 bus corridor applications for Dublin and construction on the first of these routes from Liffey Valley to the city centre has commenced with a completion date of 2028. The National Transport Authority is in the process of developing cycling plans for each county under the CycleConnects plan. Further details of projects and programmes being delivered under NSO 4 are with an estimated cost of greater than €20 million are published on the investment tracker.”
“4 projects set out in Project Ireland 2040 include the DART+ programme, which is a series of projects that will create a full metropolitan area DART+ network for Dublin, with all the lines linked and connected. An Coimisiún Pleanála has approved the railway order application for DART+ Coastal North. The procurement process has commenced for a design and build contractors. Once the contractors have been appointed, a period of detailed design will commence followed by construction. Since the previous NDP, there has been significant progress on MetroLink, including most recently the positive planning decision by An Coimisiún Pleanála, as well as the NDP’s allocation of €2 billion from the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund to ensure MetroLink moves forward to construction within the lifetime of this NDP.”
“I will not tell the Deputy again about how I am responsible for setting the overall capital allocations, as outlined in the reply in front of me. I will proceed instead to address the question itself, which is about NSO No. 4. This objective is about investing in high-quality sustainable transport and mobility to improve quality of life for all our citizens, support our transition to a low-carbon society and enhance our economic competitiveness. The Department of Transport published the national investment framework for transport in Ireland, NIFTI, in 2021, which sets out the prioritisation for future investment in the land transport network. The right transport investment helps to deliver high-quality travel and supports positive outcomes for society, the environment and the economy. Investment in NSO No.”
“Ensuring the long-term viability of the airport is very much connected to its being a transatlantic hub, which requires advancing some of the more long-term plans to expand some its piers. There is a real opportunity there. With some of the operational constraints removed, the airport can really drive that delivery. The second runway, which was built during the previous Government's term, offers huge opportunities for additional growth and connectivity.”
“This is a pro-enterprise Government that wants to grow our economy. Critical to that is our airport and port capacity. Dublin Port's masterplan drives increased port capacity out to 2040. There is a separate wider discussion on additional east coast capacity, which I think we will require in the medium to long term in addition to Dublin Port, the capacity of which will be constrained. We need to drive its infrastructure plan efficiently. There have been constraints and planning complexity at Dublin Airport in recent years but the work by the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, has ensured we lifted the cap. There is a significant capital plan for the airport, some of which is in the planning system and some of which is built out around a major programme of improvements.”
“We have been clear about the absolute necessity to protect the huge ecosystem of digital and infrastructure investment in Ireland over the past ten to 20 years. Part of that has been the wider and ongoing discussion on the security of subsea cables. In terms of our immediate capital plans, the Department of communications, when it comes to digital infrastructure, has been prioritising the nationwide roll-out of the national broadband plan, particularly in terms of rural broadband and connectivity. Any longer-term approaches to digital connectivity in terms of State intervention regarding subsea cables is something we would have to consider as part of a future national development plan. We want to continue to embed digital infrastructure and the technology investment that exists in Ireland to promote jobs. That is a key part of NSO No. 6.”
“In addition, the sectoral plans published by Departments at the end of 2025 set out the planned investment cycle of projects, by county, across the country. Those plans are available from the relevant Departments.”
“In relation to ports, the Port of Cork's Ringaskiddy development, container terminal, CCT, 2 project, is under way, which will see the redevelopment and extension of the existing facility to accommodate larger sea vessels and increase port capacity. The Shannon Foynes Port Company is progressing with capacity extensions at the port. Co-funded by the EU, this further strengthens freight and trade and establishes the estuary as a global offshore wind hub. Dublin Port is actively implementing its masterplan 2040 to ensure sustainable growth and long-term capacity planning. Further details of projects and programmes being delivered under NSO No. 6 are published as part of our investment tracker of projects with a cost greater than €20 million.”
“The relevant sectoral strategies include the national aviation policy, the national ports policy and the telecommunications chapter of the national marine planning framework, which relates to international telecommunications connectivity. In terms of our airports, a range of investments are planned and under way. Dublin Airport has announced a major programme of improvements, which include enhanced operational capacity to manage more than 120,000 passengers per day. The Shannon Airport Group continues to implement its investment plan, including upgrades to airport infrastructure such as new research and development engineering and manufacturing units. Waterford Airport is undergoing a transformative investment to be completed by the summer of 2027.”
“As Minister, I am responsible for setting the overall capital allocations across Departments and monitoring monthly expenditure at departmental level. The NDP review was published in July last year, with Departments subsequently publishing sectoral investment plans setting out the capital projects to be prioritised out to 2030. Furthermore, the Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan, which was published in December 2025, outlined a range of reforms to speed up delivery of critical infrastructure across Ireland to support the realisation of the funding allocated under the NDP and to optimise delivery. NSO No. 6 deals with the delivery of high-quality international connectivity.”
“Again, we are working with the wider regulatory and delivery system to ensure it is prepared to drive progress across many of those projects. I am confident that for many of the projects, instead of a sense of endless delay, we will see real acceleration in the period ahead.”
“I absolutely agree. It is about the cumulative impact of all the reforms, including cutting out some of the process at the earlier stage, the external insurance process, which saved half a year, and some of the regulatory reforms we have introduced, with a 30% time saving under the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, for example, for marine licensing. The wider regulatory reforms ensure we have a better balance in terms of the legal system, including in respect of judicial reviews and the environmental legal fees caps. The 30 actions, cumulatively, will bring real delivery to our system and will make a real difference. The Act is a really important part of that in terms of driving delivery when projects can be designated.”
“I appreciate all of Deputy Neville's inputs on the wider reforms we have advanced. We expect to have an initial designation for a small number of projects and will then set out a process around how that will happen. The focus is on the projects that can benefit from an immediate designation and how they can be accelerated quickly. Some projects are on lists and going through particular processes, but are not necessarily ready for designation. That process is concluding for a small number of projects that will benefit. We are focused on driving delivery of anything that is designated. That work is being finalised in my Department and I will then have to bring a recommendation to the Government.”
“These are as follows: the need to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of a project or programme; whether delay to, or disruption of, the delivery of a project or programme or failure to deliver a project or programme would have adverse economic or social consequences for the State; whether a project or programme may impact in a positive or negative manner on the delivery of any specific programme; the national development plan; and other matters that the Minister may consider appropriate. When I bring an initial recommendation to the Government, my focus will be on a small number of critical projects or programmes in the energy, transport and water sectors, with a particular focus on those projects that will benefit the most from an immediate designation. That has yet to happen, but I expect it will in the coming weeks.”
“In summary, the Minister for public expenditure will make a recommendation to the Government in respect of the designation of an individual project or programme. The Government will consider the recommendation and, if approved, an order designating the project or programme as critical infrastructure will be laid before the Dáil. Provision is also made to allow the Dáil to annul any order laid before it. This section also sets out those factors that I as Minister may have regard to in making a recommendation to the Government.”
“The Critical Infrastructure Act 2026 provides a statutory basis for the acceleration of decision-making regarding projects and programmes that are designated as critical infrastructure. The Act requires that all reasonable steps be taken by public bodies, individually and collectively, to progress any functions that they may have in regard to these projects and programmes as quickly as possible. Section 1 of the Act specifically highlights transport, energy and water infrastructure in the definition of infrastructure. However, it does not limit the potential to include other infrastructure, should it be considered necessary. Section 3 of the Act sets out how projects or programmes will be designated as critical infrastructure.”
“We want to digitalise our public services, drive efficiencies and advance reforms, and that is a necessity. In everything we are doing in the escalation framework and implementing cost controls in respect of Departments, it is all about efficiency, how we improve productivity, digitalise more and, ultimately, build better public services for people who want to see them improve. People want to see the endpoint of the increased expenditure the Deputy referenced to ensure that the outputs improve and the impacts are better. We are focused on how we improve delivery. That is our wider focus and why we have moved away from the model used in previous years to one that better serves a focus on efficiency and reform. That will be a key part of the Estimates process.”
“We have moved away from the system of existing level of service, ELS, plus additionality, which we discussed with the Deputy at the budgetary oversight committee, to ensure that we examine the total base of spend through the Estimates process, something we did last year and will do again with a greater focus for budget 2027. The expenditure levy will drive greater efficiencies and reforms and incentivise those in the context of a moderating increase in current expenditure.”
“That is why we should have reforms in the Department of Education and Youth around how that operates more efficiently. It is the role of the Minister and Accounting Officer in that Department, to use that example in terms of efficiency in respect of school transport, to ensure that we do not have duplication or two half-empty buses when there could be one. That is something that should be examined by the Department of Education and Youth to drive value for money. We have been clear in the value for money obligations we have set out, as published in Circular 18/2025 around value for money obligations for all civil and public servants, and that is essential.”
“Where expenditure pressures persist, the circular sets out a framework for when and how my Department will engage with others. These steps are focused around strengthening governance, reprioritising expenditure within Department allocations and ensuring that overruns are addressed in a timely manner. The circular also reiterates that responsibility for managing expenditure rests with each Department’s Accounting Officer. As published, it refers to nine phases of expenditure controls. These could involve an expenditure oversight group all the way to examining non-pay pressures to pay pressures, if they emerge in a Department. It is about aligning budgetary allocations with priorities and ensuring that we get better delivery of budgets across Departments.”
“These frameworks have been developed to promote the efficient, effective and sustainable application of resources. In May, I published Circular 21/2026 relating to expenditure control and the escalation process. Issued to all Departments, it provides a clear framework for managing expenditure and sets out phases for escalation if spending overruns emerge. This escalation process is designed to be transparent and clear, setting out the different phases that can be taken to address overruns. It defines roles and responsibilities across Departments, ensuring strong accountability for expenditure management. Importantly, it is responsive to emerging spending pressures and enables timely and proportionate corrective actions where required.”
“In December 2025, the Government published the medium-term fiscal and structural plan, which set out fixed expenditure ceilings for the period 2026 to 2030. This provides for significant uplifts in expenditure over the coming years, with gross voted spending to reach €147.3 billion in 2030. My Department has responsibility for developing expenditure policy in line with agreed Government objectives, including adhering to the expenditure ceilings set out in the plan. My Department establishes the governance frameworks, or rules, setting out the principles of how money should be spent to support sustainable increases in public expenditure. These include the public financial procedures and infrastructure and procurement guidelines.”
“We recognise the need, whether in north-west Donegal, where I was a few weeks ago, or all the way down to Kerry. There is a need along the Atlantic corridor to give that uplift to investment in roads and to enhance Local Link. I will ask the National Transport Authority to engage with the Deputy on that. There are also huge opportunities in tourism. Where we build out the tourism infrastructure, people come in their droves. We have seen that in many parts of the west, where trails, greenways, blueways and various pieces of infrastructure have been developed. Fáilte Ireland has a plan for that too. We want to ensure that the uplift in capital investment is seen, experienced and delivered for the north-west. That is something we are committed to doing.”
“The Deputy and I were in Ballymote last summer, and I am very familiar with the wider territory of Sligo and the north-west, including that great county, Mayo, next door to the Deputy, where I was last weekend.”
“Specifics on road allocations are something between the Department of Transport and specific local authorities, but we are a Government that is front-loading significant investment - I would say in an unprecedented way - in our transport system to ensure we have that balance so that we are getting better public transport investment and seeing projects being delivered, but also that many of the roads projects, which are critical for the north-west in terms of regional development and road safety, are being delivered as well.”
“The published tracker sets out the region-by-region specificity in terms of infrastructure investment. I understand and agree that we need to give that regional uplift to the north-west, where there is a documented infrastructure deficit. That is why we have prioritised transport in our national development plan and, in fairness, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has rebalanced some of the transport funding so that many of the roads projects that were delayed in the previous Government can progress where there have been difficulties. The transport investment cycle is about €24 billion over the next five years, and there is a big uplift in transport funding in 2026.”
“In terms of arts and culture, some of the ongoing projects in the investment programme that has published include the National Archives Repository, the Crawford Art Gallery, phase 1 of the National Concert Hall and the National Gallery. In terms of sport, we have the Sport Ireland campus investment. This includes the national velodrome, badminton centre and cricket centre. In terms of the media, the Government will continue to support the development of Irish language media, with investment in TG4’s studio and broadcast facilities. Further details of projects, of which there are many, being delivered under NSO 3 can be found in the latest capital investment tracker, which is published.”
“These plans provide visibility of the delivery pipeline, giving construction firms the certainty they need to invest in hiring, training and scaling their operations. This multi-year approach is designed to support industry planning and ensure that regional capacity can grow in line with demand. The plans include planned investment in projects across the country. National strategic outcome, NSO, 3 deals with strengthening rural economies and communities in a number of areas, including communications. In terms of broadband, significant progress was made in 2025, with over 440,000 homes and farms passed ahead of the target of 420,000. This programme is due for completion by the end of this year, which is ahead of schedule.”
“As Minister, I am responsible for the setting the overall capital allocations across Departments and for monitoring monthly expenditure at departmental level. In 2021, the NDP review originally committed €165 billion for the period to 2030. The revised development plan set out €275.4 billion in capital investment to 2035, the largest and most significant capital investment in the history of the State, and gross capital expenditure ceilings for all sectors have now been set. In addition to the €275 billion, we have an additional €10 billion in equity release up to 2030. This includes €3.5 billion for energy grid capacity, €4.5 billion for water and €2 billion for low-carbon transport, including MetroLink. Departments subsequently published sectoral investment plans setting out the capital projects to be prioritised to 2030.”
“The specific day-to-day funding of local authorities is a matter that the Minister for housing engages with local authorities on and the funding model is separate to the wider infrastructure conversation in terms of the national development plan, some of which, to be fair, is delivered through local authorities, especially funding for particular roads, but some of the bigger road projects are funded through Transport Infrastructure Ireland. It depends on the particular project the Deputy is raising.”
“I am not privy to the interaction the Deputy had with the Minister for housing on this, but the Local Government Fund distributes the respective funding across different local authorities, and Galway County Council and Galway City Council would receive allocations through that. I was clear in my initial response to Deputy O'Hara. We have significant investment across many projects in the west of Ireland for water and wastewater treatment, which is required to build new homes. There is also the investment that ESB and EirGrid are doing in the context of our grid to ensure we can get energy connections, as well as the many critical projects, including the Galway ring road, which has been sitting there, as it were, for years. We need to drive on and get things built. That is what we are seeking to do across much of the infrastructure.”
“Progress in achieving balanced regional development and detailing the delivery of the NDP is monitored through regular updates on the capital investment tracker and the MyProjectIreland interactive map viewer. The capital investment tracker provides a composite update on the progress of all major investments, with an estimated cost of more than €20 million. Accompanying the tracker, the MyProjectIreland interactive map details projects across the country by county and contains smaller investments such as schools, healthcare facilities and social housing projects. In addition, my Department also publishes the Project Ireland 2040 annual report and regional reports, highlighting achievements and giving a detailed overview of the public investments that have been made, are being made and are planned to be made right throughout the country.”
“The plans published to date include planned investment and projects across the country, with many across the west of Ireland: Uisce Éireann upgrades of water and wastewater treatment plants in Lough Mask and Claremorris in Mayo; 35 social and 310 affordable new housing units in Crown Square in Galway; new transport infrastructure with Bus Connects Galway, the Galway city ring road, and the N5 in Roscommon; and sports and community facilities with the Renville Sports and Community Centre and the east Galway sports campus. That is just a small flavour of some of the projects that are being identified across the sectoral plans, which are multi-year plans to deliver across critical areas.”
“The plan committed €275.4 billion in public capital investment to 2035, the largest and most significant capital investment in the history of the State. Arising from this, €19.1 billion in Exchequer capital investment will be provided in 2026. On budget day, Ministers set out the capital projects and programmes they will prioritise within their allocation. Over the end of 2025 and early 2026, Ministers developed sectoral plans for investment considering sectoral needs, including across balanced regional development.”
“More broadly, the achievement of balanced regional development is a key priority of this Government and is at the heart of Project Ireland 2040, which includes the national planning framework, which sets out the wider spatial strategy for the next 20 years, along with the national development plan, NDP. Since Project Ireland 2040 was launched in 2018, the Government has overseen the delivery of many impactful NDP projects across the country, including in the west of Ireland, for example: the enterprise centres in Boyle and Tulsk in Roscommon and in Belmullet and Swinford in Mayo; the N59 Moycullen bypass; the Salmon Weir Bridge in Galway; the Killaloe bypass in Clare; and heritage and tourism projects in Portumna in Galway and Aghleam in Mayo. The NDP Review 2025 was published in line with the programme for Government commitment.”
“I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 21 together. As part of the budgetary process each year, my Department sets overall expenditure ceilings for each ministerial Vote group. These are laid out at Vote level in the budget day expenditure report published in October, with further detail provided in the Revised Estimates for public services published in December. Following the allocation of each ministerial expenditure ceiling, it is a matter for each Minister to assign funding as appropriate at programme and subhead level for their Departments and the agencies under their remit, accounting for the demands for services in different areas and regions and having regard to demographics and other factors. Within this process, both current and capital expenditure are allocated on a departmental basis and not a geographic basis.”
“It is really limitless with digital health and in a way that is transformative for people's healthcare and for delivering a real public health system that is digitally enabled. Research is absolutely connected to that. I am absolutely willing to engage with the Deputy and to get the Minister involved as well around starting that wider engagement on clinical research.”
“Certainly there is a massive opportunity in terms of data as we digitalise our health system. We need to do it in a way that builds trust, is transparent and obviously protects individuals as well. I would be open to that wider engagement with the Minister for Health and others, as we are tendering for this and delivering it, on how do we build the case so that people can use really important data to deliver better clinical research, and how people's personal health records can provide a huge capacity in the context of prophylactic therapeutics. There is a huge opportunity to really improve the lives of citizens in terms of population-based healthcare and the identification of issues before people develop symptoms.”
“Given the fact that many are much more mature, it provides a real opportunity to really deploy AI in the health system in terms of diagnostics and better advanced therapeutics. It will provide a real opportunity to drive reform in our health system and better enable practitioners and clinicians to provide the best care.”
“I do not have a specific update here with me on digital or electronic health records. We have taken the leap as a Government, with the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, to put significant capital funding aside to digitalise our health system, which is the correct strategic move in the context of Ireland being behind many other countries in the efficient use of health data for personal reasons and for patient records. There is huge duplication across our hospital system with paper records. There is a tender process ongoing around that. The use of research, data-sharing and anonymity is something I will have to revert to the Department of Health. It needs to be scalable and interoperable and avoid duplication and some of the mishaps we have had in other digital health systems.”
“Others include the provision of a suite of public digital infrastructure building blocks designed to be fully compatible and interoperable with other systems across Ireland and the EU. This ensures a consistent approach.”
“Efficiency and value for money considerations are central to the assessment process and projects are evaluated on their capacity to streamline processes, reduce administrative burden and duplication of effort, improve data-sharing and interoperability, and deliver more integrated services across government. The potential for wider roll-out and reuse across the public service is another important consideration. Applications that demonstrate scalability, cross-government applicability and the ability to support multiple life events services are particularly encouraged. The fund is one of a range of supports provided by Departments and public service bodies to help accelerate the digital transition.”
“Projects seeking funding must demonstrate alignment with the Government of Ireland design principles and outline how they will advance the delivery of human-centred digital services across organisational boundaries; adoption of new and emerging technologies with the potential to support life events service delivery and the development and scaling of proven digital innovations Projects are also expected to demonstrate how they will contribute to key public service outcomes, including customer satisfaction, public trust, service quality and increased use of digital channels.”
“Instead, applications are invited from selected public service bodies in line with the strategic priorities identified under the Digital Public Services Plan 2030, particularly the delivery of priority life events services and the development of shared digital capabilities that can be used across Government.”
“The public service digital transformation fund, PSDTF, was established to support the delivery of Government priorities under the Digital Public Services Plan 2030. The digital public services plan is the Government's roadmap for delivering seamless, inclusive and user-centred public services through digital transformation. This Plan is a flagship initiative under the Better Public Services strategy. It aims to ensure that by 2030, 100% of key public services are available online and 90% of applicable services are consumed digitally. The fund is intended to accelerate digital transformation across the public service by supporting projects that improve services for the public and strengthen cross-government collaboration. It does not operate as an open competitive fund.”
“We will be using a lot more digital tools and technology across the procurement phase. We will set that out in the coming weeks in terms of our reform agenda and I will put the finer details on that during the period ahead.”
“I thank both Deputies. In terms of the wider digital public services plan we, have the life events approach which is about embedding a lot of people's interface with public services through life events, and how they can be digitally enabled through a life events portal, which will provide a much better interface to people's interaction with the State. Also to Deputy Boland's point, we will ensure we protect that human interface as well where people are required. That is a central part of our wider digital public services plan. Part of it will be setting out, as Deputy Farrell has raised as well as Deputy Byrne, that the new procurement strategy will have a real digital focus as to how we future-proof procurement. That is something that will be set out in the coming weeks when we publish it.”
“If you read our national AI strategy entitled Digital Ireland - Connecting our People, Securing our Future, it is against a backdrop of an aim to have 100% of key public services digitalised by 2030 and 90% of them accessed online and supported by a wider centralised AI advisory unit. This will all drive digitalisation, better public services and enhance the use of AI across the system, something I think we are doing properly by ensuring those deploying it have the appropriate training to do it.”