Minister Chambers publishes Report on Stakeholder Engagement and Emerging Themes on Infrastructure

The Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Jack Chambers, has today published a report from his department on the Stakeholder Engagement and Consultation processes that have taken place on accelerating the development of infrastructure.

The report also highlights what the department considers to be the most impactful barriers impeding infrastructure development which have emerged from the consultation process.

This report is provided to the Minister and to the Accelerating Infrastructure Taskforce for their consideration, to highlight the views of stakeholders and to inform the development of actions to address these and other key barriers to infrastructure development.

The analysis in the report is heavily informed by the results of a significant stakeholder engagement process, conducted by the Infrastructure Division over June and July. Officials met directly with over 50 key stakeholders involved in the development of infrastructure in Ireland and received more than 170 formal responses to the public consultation.

The core of the report identifies 12 issues that are considered by the department to represent the most impactful barriers to the timely development of infrastructure. The report details these barriers, how they are underpinned by evidence gathered to date through the public consultation/stakeholder engagement and the potential impacts of each of the barriers.

The report also notes some of the key pieces of infrastructure reform that are being progressed in other common law jurisdictions. These examples will be prioritised for evaluation by the department in the coming weeks.

Finally, the report sets out detail on the next phase of the workplan, specifically how actions to address these and any other barriers to infrastructure development will be developed and how the finalisation of the National Development Plan has already addressed some of the issues that were raised by stakeholders on funding certainty and a project pipeline. It notes that a final report and accompanying action plan is scheduled for completion this Autumn.

Commenting on the release of the report, Minister Chambers said:

“This Report marks a critical step in the government’s effort to accelerate infrastructure delivery. We are investing at record levels, and the most recent review of the National Development Plan reflects that ambition. However, to turn this investment into timely, cost-effective outcomes, we must ensure that our systems are fit for purpose. This report identifies the legal, regulatory, and institutional barriers that are slowing progress, drawing on extensive engagement across the public and private sectors. Our goal is to build a delivery model that matches our ambition, and my department and I are proud to lead this State-wide review. This Report on Stakeholder Consultation and Engagement will inform the Final Report and Action Plan on Accelerating Infrastructure, which will set out concrete, timebound actions to drive an ambitious programme of reform.

"Ireland’s critical water, electricity, and transport infrastructure forms the foundation for delivering housing, enabling climate action, and supporting economic growth. This report shows some of the key areas where our systems are falling short and what must change. This is the first step in taking action to support the delivery of the critical infrastructure that underpins the development of all other infrastructure, whether social or economic.”