Government’s action plan either a springboard or a gravestone for housing, say engineers

The Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris launching the Accelerating Infrastructure – Report and Action Plan at Government Buildings. Photo: Sam Boal/Collins Photos

The Government’s new infrastructure action plan will either be a “springboard for delivery or the gravestone for Ireland’s ambitions”, a representative body for engineers has said.

The Association of Consulting Engineers Ireland (ACEI) said both a collection of short- and long-term measures to increase infrastructure delivery have been promised, with a requirement for future Government’s to commit to the new plan.

Proposals from the Government include significant reforms to judicial review processes, simplification of regulations and the introduction of laws to fast-track major infrastructure projects.

“This report will either be a springboard for infrastructure delivery over the next 30 years or the gravestone for Ireland's ambitions to solve housing, infrastructure and climate change crises,” Shane Dempsey, the Director General of the ACEI said.

“For the report to succeed, it will take an unprecedented amount of political commitment from successive governments and a willingness amongst the State's agents to work together to remove the bureaucratic barriers that have ossified delivery.” 

Mr Dempsey said the engineering sector can deliver on infrastructure, housing and climate challenges if “unnecessary legal and regulatory delays are removed from the system”.

“We're hopeful that this report will empower contracting authorities to drop outdated and antiquated procurement processes and contractual conditions that actually stymie engineers.” He said the hope from ACEI is that the measures proposed by the Government would be “ruthlessly implemented”.

The Construction Industry Federation (CIF) welcomed the plan, saying it is an important milestone to tackle the country’s infrastructure deficit. “We are in the midst of a housing and infrastructure emergency, which severely undermines Ireland’s competitiveness,” Andrew Brownlee, chief executive of CIF said.

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“These actions are necessary to respond to that emergency and overcome the barriers to the delivery of infrastructure already identified in their initial report in July, and require the Government to address bottlenecks and inefficiencies around funding and prioritisation of projects, regulation, risk aversion, judicial reviews, planning and consents processes, public procurement, attracting talent and public acceptance.” 

However, Social Democrats finance spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan said the Government is making bold claims on infrastructure, but projects like DART+ South West and Finglas Luas have been delayed.

“People sitting in traffic congestion, or standing on cold mornings watching packed buses pass them by, want to see the Government act urgently to get key infrastructure built,” he said. 

“Instead, the government’s decision to delay much-needed public transport infrastructure shows a complete lack of urgency. This impacts on people’s mental health and wellbeing, is damaging to our environment and also increases costs for businesses.”