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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“Water, energy and transport systems are the foundations that drive overall delivery and economic development, whether it is in housing or other areas. By doing this we send a clear and unambiguous signal to the entire system that the projects and programmes are of strategic importance and in the public interest. It allows public bodies to reallocate the resources necessary to prioritise the consideration of these projects. The net effect of this should be a significant acceleration of these critical projects and programmes. This will in turn enable the acceleration of all other economic and social infrastructure necessary for society to thrive. The Bill is short and carefully targeted legislation. It does not reference specific projects.”
“We have a persistent infrastructure deficit, the consequences of which we in this House have to deal with and which are articulated by Members daily. Without radical reform we simply will not close the gap, leaving our people stuck in traffic and with too few homes to house our population, and build the infrastructure to bridge and affirm the wider ambition we have for economic and social infrastructure for the State. The Critical Infrastructure Bill places obligations on the Government. It requires us to take hard decisions about prioritisation and to identify a small number of those projects or programmes that are fundamental to everything else we wish to achieve. Others have said that and Deputy Fitzmaurice mentioned it.”
“Fair play to Deputy Ó Murchú. He always gets a lot in during the few minutes. I thank all Members of the House for their contributions to this evening's debate. We look forward to further engagement on the Bill as it progresses to Committee Stage. It is clear from the broader contributions that there is a consensus on the need to really reform how we deliver infrastructure. As I said at the outset, the publication of the Bill achieves one of the many actions in the Accelerating Infrastructure report. Really it is about the cumulative implementation of this, which will drive a much quicker and transformative approach to accelerating infrastructure. I have set out why radical change is necessary.”
“I hope that we can have a robust debate and engagement today on the Bill. It will not weaken climate protections and it will not diminish public participation in infrastructure development. Rather, it allows the Government, with the endorsement of this House, to identify the most critical infrastructure projects and provides public bodies with the vires to treat these projects with the urgency they absolutely need. I look forward to working with everyone in this House in bringing forward and advancing this legislation in the coming weeks.”
“It will create a fast-track channel for these projects through existing authorisation processes. Relevant public bodies will have to consider how each of them can reprioritise within their organisations and work better with other agencies while still undertaking the respective due diligence required for each project. There will still be public participation at each stage of the development process, and the legislation will not change this. With regard to the changes in the climate Act, the only practical impact of this Bill will be to remove an avenue for judicial reviews, one that, in my view, is being used to delay rather than accelerate climate action in some instances. The Bill is ambitious, but ambition is what is required if we are to meet the infrastructure needs of our population.”
“Over the next ten years, that will rise to €275 billion. Total capital investment in 2026 alone is expected to reach €19.1 billion. This is the largest capital investment programme the State has ever seen. However, if this funding is to be delivered and if its outcomes are to be as expected, funding needs to be matched with reform. The accelerating infrastructure report is one of the most ambitious reform agendas ever adopted by the State. It is a cornerstone across this legislative agenda today, but also in the context of the emergency powers framework we are working on. The Bill is all about accelerating the delivery of critical infrastructure for our country. It will do so by prioritising those projects that the Government identifies and this House endorses above all others.”
“It is abundantly clear that some of these reviews are being taken for ideological reasons, often steeped in a degrowth agenda that seeks to frustrate the delivery of critical infrastructure, some of which can be connected to renewable projects. That is not an agenda that is supported by this Government. The accelerating infrastructure report and actions also commit to the development of a robust emergency powers framework that can meaningfully accelerate the delivery of critical infrastructure. The work on this legislation is proceeding in parallel this year. The Government’s prudent management means there is money to deliver across an ambitious capital investment programme. In the past five years, more than €65 billion has been invested in capital infrastructure projects across our country through the national development plan, NDP.”
“It does not mean that climate considerations will be set aside in these projects. Every Exchequer-funded project is already required to measure and price its greenhouse gas emissions under the infrastructure guidelines. Similarly, every individual project is also required to undergo a climate adaptation assessment to ensure it does not give rise to undue risks. All other climate and environmental obligations will still apply, such as building regulations and the use of low-carbon cement in construction. It was never intended that the climate action Act would be used to allow the decisions taken by public bodies in relation to individual projects or programmes to be challenged in the courts. Disapplication of section 15 removes an unnecessary layer that is driving a wider increase and risk around judicial reviews.”
“Section 8 provides for regulations to be issued under the Bill when enacted. The only power for regulations is to allow additional public bodies to be designated in the event of any other legal change that might mean a body has a function in relation to a designated project or programme but is not captured within the definitions. Section 9 is a standard provision that allows for any expenses incurred in the administration of the Bill when enacted to be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas. The final section of the Bill sets out the Short Title and commencement of the Bill. We want to advance this as quickly as possible. The Bill effectively disapplies section 15 of the climate change Act from those projects and programmes that are designated as critical infrastructure by the Government.”
“These directions may require the provision of information on the measures that the public body has adopted and the outcome of these actions. The purpose of this is to allow for a tracking and evaluation of the actions taken by each public body and the impact these actions may have had on the approval timelines for a designated project or programme. The provision also allows direction to be issued requiring a public body to adopt such measures as may be deemed necessary for the purposes of carrying out its duties. Section 7 disapplies section 15 of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 from designated projects and programmes. This is the only substantive change that is being made to existing legislation and I will shortly outline the reasons for this.”
“Instead, it sets out a clear articulation of the number of projects or programmes that the Government considers vital to the public interest and mandates that public bodies need to accelerate their decision-making processes with regard to these projects. This idea has been developed following on from the engagement I have had with respect to many of these public bodies. Specifically, they have been clear that a focussed articulation of what the most important projects are will be beneficial. I am confident that providing this and giving public bodies the obligation but also the vires to accelerate their decision-making processes will lead to much faster decision making in respect of identified projects. Section 6 allows the Minister for public expenditure to issue directions to any relevant public bodies.”
“Next, each public body must take all necessary steps to accelerate their consideration of the designated project or programme and avoid any undue delays. Followed by this, the relevant public body must reduce the time required for any decision in relation to a project or programme. They must make every effort to parallel their processes with the authorisations that may be required by other public bodies. Next, they are required to co-ordinate, prioritise and sequence their functions in respect of managing risks and constraints. Finally, a public body must allocate the resources that may be required to fulfil its duties under the Bill. The Bill does not dictate the decision that public bodies must reach.”
“Section 4 determines who the provisions of this Bill apply to. In short, a relevant public body is any public body which has a role in the approval process for designated infrastructure. This means anyone in the development chain who must give an approval, licence, consent, permission or any kind of authorisation for the infrastructure. This is a deliberately wide net to ensure that the acceleration process will be comprehensive. Section 5 is the core aspect of the Bill. It sets out the specific duties that will be applied to relevant public bodies. There are six core duties that they will be required to perform on the enactment of this Bill. First, public bodies will be required to prioritise any functions they must perform in relation to designated critical infrastructure projects or programmes above their other duties.”
“The Government will consider the recommendation and, if approved, an order designating a project or programme as critical infrastructure will be laid before this House. The section also lists those factors that the Minister may have regard to in making a recommendation to the Government. An administrative process will be put in place to facilitate those recommendations but I do not plan to commence this process until after the Oireachtas has approved this legislation. As such, I reiterate that my priority will be on recommending those projects or programmes that facilitate critical infrastructure across the energy, transport and water sectors with a particular focus on infrastructure that will support additional housing but the legislation specifically does not preclude other infrastructure types.”
“If we can accelerate the provision this fundamental network infrastructure, it will lead to broader momentum and acceleration across all other types of development, particularly housing. To be eligible for inclusion, this infrastructure must be built by or on behalf of the State. Section 2 simply notes that nothing in the Bill will affect existing or future obligations of the State under EU law. This is included to demonstrate that the Bill will not interfere in any way with our EU commitments, whether they relate to environmental protection or climate change targets or more broadly. Section 3 deals with how projects or programmes will be designated as critical infrastructure. The Minister for public expenditure will make a recommendation to Government in respect of an individual project or programme.”
“Finally, it is worth noting that the section defines an authorisation as an award, approval, decision, licence, consent, permit or other authority required, granted or made, by or under an enactment or otherwise, to enable a project or programme to proceed in whole or in part. Fundamentally, this section sets out the necessary underpinning terms that describe the specifics of what the provisions in the Bill apply to. As I have consistently stated, the focus for acceleration will be on the critical infrastructure necessary to underpin the development of all other infrastructure in the country. Every development, regardless of purpose, needs energy, water and a transport link to operate.”
“It notes that infrastructure is anything that enables the essential facilities and systems of the State to function effectively and includes, but is not limited to: transport facilities, including ports and airports, and transport systems, including roads and railways; energy generation, transmission and distribution systems; and water supply, wastewater and waste management systems. It further sets out that a project is something the purpose of which is the delivery of infrastructure, and is funded by capital investment, by or on behalf of the State or by on behalf of a public body. A programme is simply a collection of two or more projects that are intended to achieve a common purpose.”
“By establishing a clear legal basis for prioritisation, it will reduce ambiguity and ensure that critical projects and programmes receive focused and co-ordinated attention across Departments, regulators and agencies. It will address the unacceptable delays in our infrastructure approval processes by mandating whole-of-State co-operation and creating a fast-track pathway for critical projects and programmes without skipping steps in the approval process or weakening any safeguards. The Bill forms a central pillar of the Government’s broader infrastructure acceleration agenda, signalling a significant shift toward fast-tracking strategically important projects deemed essential to the State’s economic and social development. The Bill is focused, and I will through it section by section. Section 1 is the interpretation.”
“Legal reform is the first action pillar listed in the report and enacting legislation to accelerate the provision of critical infrastructure is the second. This leads me on to the Bill we are discussing. I will briefly summarise what the Bill will do. It will allow the Government to designate certain infrastructure projects or programmes as critical. In response to this designation, all public bodies involved at any stage in the authorisation process for this infrastructure must prioritise and accelerate the authorisation process applied to the maximum extent possible while still meeting their other statutory duties. It also disapplies section 15 of the climate Act to their consideration of designated projects or programmes.”
“In July, I published the Department 's assessment of the 12 most pressing barriers to infrastructure. This was not an exhaustive list; rather these 12 barriers were considered by the Department to represent the most impactful problems, delaying infrastructure provision. This assessment of barriers laid the foundation for the next phase of work, and in December last year, I published the Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan. This sets out a comprehensive programme of actions designed to speed up the delivery of critical infrastructure across the State. The plan sets out 30 targeted, time-bound actions grouped under four pillars, each addressing a key area of reform. The measures provide for a whole-of-government approach to ensure that capital investment translates into timely, co-ordinated delivery of the infrastructure.”
“An infrastructure division was formed in my Department in April last year, including staff from key semi-State agencies. We formed the a task force to provide strategic guidance and expert input. Six independent experts, experienced in infrastructure delivery, combined with six members, taken from those commercial semi-States at the front line of infrastructure development and the local government sector worked with my officials to identify the barriers to infrastructure and the solutions needed to overcome them. This was complemented by a public consultation launched in June. This consultation laid bare the huge concern over the pace and quality of infrastructure delivery in Ireland. Overly long timelines, fragmented governance and misalignment with climate and environmental goals all featured heavily in the views expressed.”
“Over the past 20 years, we have had lots of layering of new regulations and processes that have been designed to improve infrastructure delivery but many of them are having unintended consequences because of the sheer weight of them. If we want infrastructure to move, we must strip away what is unnecessary. Essential protections remain vital, but progress requires accepting some risk and being clear about priorities so we can reach a position where our future is defined by possibility rather than constant constraint. That requires the relevant water, power and transport infrastructure to fuel the needs of our economy and to supply the scale of housing that our population requires. Since I was appointed Minister for public expenditure, I have made accelerating infrastructure my number one priority.”
“The pace of infrastructure delivery over the coming years will determine our economic success, our climate resilience and the quality of life enjoyed by communities across the country. The effective and timely delivery of new infrastructure will be the single most important determinant of our future prosperity. Ireland is at a critical juncture. The pace of infrastructure delivery over the years to come will determine our economic competitiveness. In terms of the guiding principle, the work undertaken to accelerate the deliver of infrastructure its to create the conditions where the essential goods and services people need are plentiful and where the focus is on what is delivered.”
“According to the International Institute for Management Development, IMD’s world competitiveness rankings 2025, we are one of the most competitive economies in the world. However, under the heading of infrastructure, our performance continues to lag behind some other developed nations. Within a few short years, we will face critical shortages of power and water alongside congestion across our transport networks. At a time when decarbonisation is among our highest priorities, we have the slowest approval processes for renewable electricity in the EU. The case for change is clear. It is urgent and, as evidenced by the publication of this critical legislation in addition to the extensive package of reforms we are progressing, it is the Government’s highest priority.”
“What this means in practical terms is not enough housing to provide accommodation for our people, it means not enough renewable electricity to reach our climate targets and it means more time spent by many commuters frustrated in traffic. If we cannot build the infrastructure fast enough, this deficit will increase as our economy and population continue to grow. The risk this poses to our society is unacceptable. The global economic uncertainty makes the need for strong and resilient infrastructure even greater. Our domestic and international competitiveness is the key to our continued economic success. Nationally, the single greatest challenge we face is delivering housing and housing-enabled infrastructure.”
“The events of recent days have reinforced and underscored the central importance of critical infrastructure to the very functioning of our economy. We have also seen the severe consequences across our society when infrastructure fails. Ireland has long struggled with an infrastructural deficit. We have made some progress in closing this gap, with the difference between Ireland and our EU neighbours estimated to have halved over the past 30 years. A gap still remains, however, with most experts, international and domestic, suggesting the gap is equivalent to a 25% to 30% deficit in capital stock compared to our peers.”
“I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I welcome the opportunity to bring the Critical Infrastructure Bill 2026 forward for consideration by the Dáil today. The Bill is a central pillar of the Government’s infrastructure reforms. While its impact will be wide-ranging, it is a very clear and focused piece of legislation that is to the point. Its objective is to accelerate the provision of infrastructure in energy, transport, water and other sectors to get more housing built, make progress towards our climate objectives and support the continued social and economic development of our nation. Its rapid development and progression serve as a tangible demonstration of the Government’s commitment to meaningfully accelerate those strategically important projects that are essential to the State’s economic and social development.”
“Our economic strength has not been created by chance; it is because of the hard work of Irish people and the responsible and sensible decisions taken by Government, grounded in a pro-enterprise approach, being careful in how we expand expenditure. All I hear from the Opposition is a model of higher tax, higher spending, more expansion and continued populism in every decision it seeks to promote. The decisions we take at all times have been responsible and always in the national interest, building resilience. Our response to the challenge of today must allow to be able to respond to the unknown challenges of tomorrow. As we speak here, huge uncertainty remains about the conflict in the Middle East and the knock-on long-term impact of that conflict on prices and inflation.”
“Ón gcáinaisnéis amach agus ó thosach na bliana, chuireamar pacáistí cabhracha don phobal chun cinn. The reason Ireland is uniquely placed to make such a timely, timebound and targeted intervention is because of the strength of our economy and public finances. We have run budget surpluses every year since 2022, we have record employment levels and 500,000 more people working in our economy than at the start of the decade. We continue to reduce our debt, we are delivering record expansion of public services and by the end of this year we will have put €24 billion aside into two long-term funds. This is why have been able to respond to the sudden global economic shocks.”
“In the space of six weeks, more than €700 million of support has now been made available to workers, households, businesses and the sectors most exposed to the increased fuel prices. Following specific engagement we have provided supports in transport and agriculture but, unlike what Deputy Bacik said, the majority of workers across the economy will benefit from the reduction in excise in terms of the price at the pump and also from the significant support that has been made around the expansion of the fuel allowance. While all countries are impacted, none have responded on the scale we have been able to respond to provide for our citizens, with the largest per capita support package of any EU member state. Táimid ag obair de shíor, ag éisteacht le daoine agus ag déanamh ár ndícheall an brú atá ar dhaoine a laghdú.”
“The conflict in the Middle East and the global energy crisis have created major challenges for economies around the world. The Government fully understands the significant pressure rising costs are placing on so many families, workers and businesses across our country. All Deputies in this House are listening to people and businesses who are struggling. Listening, engaging and understanding is what has informed the significant intervention the Government has been able to make. However, the sum of the actions in the past week - blockading critical infrastructure, restricting free movement of people, disrupting critical supply chains and threatening An Garda Síochána - is reckless, irresponsible and deeply concerning for our society.”
“There is a wider ambition in the Chamber and across the Oireachtas to put reform first. Too often, we have discussions on how much more we should allocate to projects. Ultimately, it is about reforming our systems and public service, putting a delivery culture first and increasing the risk appetite to back public servants to get things done. We have a generational opportunity to shape Ireland's future and build growth and prosperity into the 2030s and 2040s. Now is the time to get infrastructure delivery right by reforming the system outside us and the culture within us. The people of Ireland deserve no less and this Government will deliver.”
“The critical infrastructure heads will advance over the coming weeks. Actions to simplify the infrastructure guidelines will cut months in the overall consideration, which again re-balances the level of bureaucracy in post-infrastructure delivery. We have expanded the National Development Finance Agency to build central expertise and try to improve the delivery process, in particular in the early stages. Infrastructure delivery and monitoring structures are bedding into place, including the strategic monitoring of implementation functions reporting to Government, ensuring accountability, risk appetite reviews and public facing communications on project tracking and delivery. As a Government, we are committed to driving the delivery of these 30 actions and want to advance most of these across 2026.”
“Since the formation of the Government, we have taken clear strides to move at pace to address Ireland's infrastructure needs and secure our future economically and socially. Since December, we have continued to move at pace and ensure the actions are delivered. Since the action plan publication, my Department and I have taken clear ownership in driving delivery and embodying the leadership that is required to deliver this step change. As I said, we have delivered the new infrastructure division, with confirmed timelines and responsibilities for actions that are being committed and agree to. We have established a regulatory simplification unit and team and commenced the first stages of performance. The legislative function has been stood up, with specialist officials appointed with required legal backgrounds.”
“This means clear risk appetite statements approved by Governments so that sponsors can commence well scoped early works, run concurrent steps and forward-order critical components where the public benefit justifies it. We need to encourage our public service to take risks in the interests of delivery. That is a clear commitment and clear programme of action. We will remove duplication, confront risk aversion and build a delivery first culture, while safeguarding the environment. The expected combined impact of these actions will be faster approvals and reduced litigation, significantly shorter delivery timelines, improved co-ordination and resource allocation, greater public trust and reduced opposition and, ultimately, increased infrastructure output to support our housing, climate and economic goals.”
“Regulation is vital, yet the way it operates today is fragmented, often sequential and overly conservative in its application of EU law which creates avoidable delay and uncertainty. This carries a real cost, namely higher energy prices and emissions and the threat of judicial review that drives further risk aversion. We will fix this by simplifying legislation, standardising processes, aligning statutory timelines and driving rebalancing, proportionality and parallel processing across consents so that we drive efficiency and prevent delays. Reforming regulation is not enough; we also need to reform how Government and the public service works.”
“Some of the key actions under this pillar include ensuring co-operation between State bodies and making land available for infrastructure projects, mobilising political and civil society support for infrastructure projects and embedding a benefits realisation framework to bring out the positives of infrastructure in terms of emissions reduced, travel hours saved and jobs enabled so that communities can see what projects deliver and what inaction costs. All of these actions mean we are reforming how we deliver. We are not simply adjusting one lever. Rather, we are changing the system entirely. We will reform our legal and regulatory processes, how we co-ordinate and deliver across the public service and how we engage with the public, because only a whole of government effort will convert record investment into outcomes at pace.”
“To deliver on the commitments in the national development plan and sectoral investment plans, Ireland must be able to deliver at scale year after year. The funding has been committed and now delivery is the priority. This can only be achieved with a strong whole of government approach and construction sector. We have already taken a number of steps to increase infrastructure co-ordination and delivery. The fourth action is on public acceptance and civic engagement. Infrastructure must earn societal support. We will accelerate infrastructure delivery by reducing land access delays and building public trust and accountability. We will also improve public engagement processes to communicate the real-world value of infrastructure.”
“National planning statements to create legally binding guidance for planning authorities will be published. This will create consistency, transparency and accountability in decision-making on infrastructure projects. We will change how we approach infrastructure in the context of EU law. The challenges in this regard have been mentioned this evening. The proposed approach includes flexibility in transposing EU law, advocating for common-law considerations in new EU legislation, actively identifying upcoming EU legislation that may impact infrastructure delivery, and also removing some of the excessive gold-plating of recent years that is affecting delivery. The third focus is co-ordination in delivery.”
“Each of the processes may have an important function but we need to focus on simplifying and standardising processes so approvals run in parallel where possible, with clearly stated expectations and statutory timelines for decisions. The goal is to align procedures across agencies, remove duplication and create processes that have predictable timelines and outcomes for public infrastructure projects and also, critically, private sector investment, which has been referred to by colleagues by way of multiple examples. Some of the key actions under the second pillar include the establishment of a regulatory simplification unit to proactively identify opportunities to simplify and streamline regulatory processes. The legislation underpinning regulatory processes will be rationalised.”
“Some of the key actions under the pillar include measures to reform the judicial review process; enacting a critical infrastructure Bill, the heads of which were approved by the Government this week; and statutory designation for critical projects, allowing them to be expedited through existing processes. We will introduce emergency powers legislation to enable accelerated delivery in urgent situations, consistent with EU law. Environmental assessment reforms will be introduced to align with EU norms and reduce disproportionate delays. The second pillar is regulatory reform. Our current regulatory landscape is fragmented and overly complex. It is composed of numerous agencies, consents, assessments and licences and it has developed over decades.”
“Clear responsibility for each action has been set, with accountability attached. One of the four pillars of consideration is legal reform. This pillar is designed to tackle the excessive complexity in the regulatory and infrastructure development environment at source. The legal reforms are specific and carefully considered to improve infrastructure delivery and drive delivery across the board. These reforms will work within the balance of existing EU legislation to reduce disproportionate delays in the infrastructure development process and will create legal frameworks for critical and emergency infrastructure, ensuring projects of high strategic importance can be prioritised by State bodies and delivered quickly.”
“The report highlights five key objectives: accelerate the delivery of critical infrastructure; accelerate wider infrastructure delivery by simplifying and streamlining the regulatory and consenting processes for infrastructure in general, in respect of which many Senators have spoken about the overly cumbersome nature of the process; reduce delays caused by judicial reviews and the threat of judicial reviews, regulatory complexity and fragmented approvals; enhance co-ordination across government, utilities and local authorities; and build public and political support for infrastructure projects. We have 30 targeted actions, as has been mentioned. The report is a statement of intent and the Government is committed to implementing it in full. It is evidence based and has clear deadlines, which are concentrated on 2026.”
“I chair the task force, which continues to meet monthly and ensures the work and recommendations of the group are evidence-based, practical, targeted and, crucially, capable of delivering measurable improvements in infrastructure timelines and outcomes. We published our reform proposals in December.”
“Sectoral plans have now been set out in terms of the projects and programmes to be prioritised by each Department over the next five years. The National Development Finance Agency's remit has been broadened around expert advice for infrastructure delivery, and the dedicated infrastructure division of my Department has been established, with a new deputy secretary general appointed in December. In April 2025, I established the infrastructure division and convened the accelerating infrastructure task force with a single mandate: to identify the key barriers to infrastructure delivery and develop comprehensive reforms and actions to overcome them. The task force brought together experts and stakeholders from across the infrastructure delivery system with the aim of tackling the most significant barriers to infrastructure delivery.”
“As set out in the motion, the Government is acutely aware of the challenges with infrastructure gaps and the need to prioritise investment in major housing, water, energy and transport projects. We have made considerable efforts to deliver a step change in funding by setting out €275 billion for public capital investment from now until 2035 and our focus on implementing reform is to address the barriers to delivery. As committed to in the programme for Government, published in January last year, we made five key commitments for infrastructure delivery, which have been delivered. The Cabinet committee on infrastructure was established in April 2025. We have reviewed the national development plan and prioritised capital investment in our medium-term fiscal plan.”
“I thank all the Members of the House for the opportunity to update them on the Government's plans to accelerate the delivery of infrastructure and to outline my Department's role in the management and delivery of capital projects and programmes. I appreciate all the contributions made by Senators on both the Government and Opposition sides on the collective wish to see us do things much quicker and cut through many of the obstacles that have permeated the system for too long. I will speak to some of what we are going to try to do as we look ahead. The choices we now take on infrastructure delivery will determine our economic competitiveness, climate resilience and the quality of life enjoyed by communities across the country.”
“As Deputy O'Gorman knows, the pricing system is decided by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, which sets the pricing parameters for individual consumers and for large energy users, including data centres. We need to move away from this polarising argument regarding households and digital infrastructure. Ultimately, we need to support households more. That is the work of the energy affordability task force. The argument to which I refer really shows a degrowth philosophy to try to undermine digital infrastructure in our State. That will undermine growth capability in the longer term. AI and digital infrastructure will play a critical role in that growth. We need to be cognisant of that in the context of the attacks on digital infrastructure we see from some Members.”
“I appreciate the Deputy raising this. I know the devastation that has been caused all across the south east, both to community infrastructure and to many people's homes. Significant work is ongoing across Government, led by the Taoiseach's office and the Cabinet committee on coastal erosion, to provide better support for areas affected by coastal erosion. We are working with the OPW. The Deputy will have seen the recent announcement in respect of Donabate. We want to make more interventions to support community infrastructure and address the damage that has been done. I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, to respond to the Deputy directly.”
“There is work ongoing across Government to see what the amount required might be this year. We are engaging with local authorities as part of that.”