Civil servants asked to take risks to speed up infrastructure projects

Public expenditure minister Jack Chambers is asking the public service to do is to take more risks to match Fianna Fáil's ambition in government

Jack Chambers said there has been, over the last 10 years, an excessive growth in bureaucracy and process. Picture: Brian Lawless/ PA

Ministers are to ask civil servants to take on more risk in a bid to speed up infrastructure projects, the public expenditure minister says.

Jack Chambers said he would be publishing "risk appetite statements" which would encourage civil servants to take on more risk when planning or assessing projects.

Mr Chambers denied that Fianna Fáil is being held back by the attitude of civil servants and said his party has taken steps on large projects.

"We are taking those swings as a party," Mr Chambers said. "We're very clear on driving huge ambition in public service transformation, but also on the investment cycle, infrastructure, and housing." 

"What we are asking the public service to do is to take more risks to match our ambition in government.

"We want to get things done, we want to build much greater risk appetite in how we deliver public services, but also delivering the infrastructure and the housing."

He said there has been, over the last 10 years, an excessive growth in bureaucracy and process.

"What we have been trying to do over the last number of months is cut back on that in terms of infrastructure and match the ambition we have in government to get as much done. 

"I think it's appropriate in the context of public service reform that we're measuring the outputs and what gets done."

Mr Chambers recently told Cabinet that pre-planning processes are taking as long as four years to complete, with numerous approvals, consents, and licences required.

Cabinet in February heard that regulations for transport infrastructure, including new roads, require up to 30 licences, consents, and approvals, while there are 21 such processes for water projects and 20 for electricity infrastructure.

Civil service is risk averse

Transport minister Darragh O'Brien, who told a podcast this week that the civil service is risk averse, said the country needs "to accelerate delivery".

"There are parts within the system that sometimes slow that delivery, and that's not acceptable. 

"And it's our jobs as ministers and Oireachtas members to drive forward delivery of infrastructure for our people. Simple as that.

"I've really good colleagues in both departments that we work with who are actually driving that change that we need. But any delay in infrastructure costs money. 

"The projects (like Cork Commuter Rail and Cork Luas), they're transformational projects, they're once in a generation projects that are going to bring in significant investment into our country, decarbonise our society, and have a major benefit for our people.

"So we just need to get on them and deliver the projects that are there."

• Paul Hosford is Deputy Political Editor at the Irish Examiner