Planning delays 'stalling infrastructure development'

Delays in the state’s planning process are stalling the development of infrastructure around the country, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said today.

Mr Ahern said that Ireland had to press on with the challenges of building roads and developing facilities for the generation of electricity around the country.

The Taoiseach, who was speaking on a trade mission to Shanghai in China, said: “We are trying to catch up on a backlog that was enormously deficient for several years.”

He joked: “I would like to have the power of the Mayor [of Shanghai] when he decides if he wants to do a highway, if he wants to by-pass an area he just goes straight up and over.

“I know that is not going to happen at home.

“I would just like that, when I am trying to put it on the ground, that we get through the consultation process as quick as possible.”

Mr Ahern was responding to a critical report from the Institute of Engineers of Ireland (IEI) on the state’s National Development Plan.

The IEI said that unless funding for the plan was dramatically increased, its major infrastructure programme would not be completed until 2013 – seven years over schedule.

The Taoiseach said there were too many levels of approval for major projects in the Irish planning system.

Mr Ahern said Ireland was spending 5% of gross domestic product on infrastructure development, which was more than anywhere else in Europe.

“I am always concerned about the delays and bottlenecks that take place,” he said.

He said infrastructure difficulties were always a problem where the economies were developing at a fast pace, such as the 12% growth rate Shanghai is currently experiencing, or the 7% rate in Ireland over the last few years.

Mr Ahern said the Government was trying very hard to make progress on infrastructure development.

Meanwhile, Minister for Education Mary Hanafin has announced plans for the establishment of a higher education Institute for Chinese Studies in Ireland.

The Minister, who is speaking from the second leg of the trade mission to the Asian region, said about 3,000 Chinese people were already studying in Irish third-level institutions.

Ms Hanafin has met the Chinese Minister for Education, Zhou Ji, to discuss the idea of inviting proposals for an Institute for Chinese Studies.

The Chinese minister also confirmed he would be travelling to Ireland.

“The availability of Chinese language studies will be of particular importance in the context of our expanding trade with China,” she said.

“It is important that the ties we develop with China are lasting ones.”

Ms Hanafin has just visited the official opening of the KaiEN English School in Shanghai, which is the third facility opened by Irishman Ken Carroll who has been living in the area for 10 years.

She said there have been 18 educational agreements signed by 11 Irish third level institutions with Chinese colleges since the trade mission began last Monday.