Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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In October 2018, I requested that the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) conduct an independent review of the Water Supply Project – Eastern and Midlands Region (WSP-EMR) as proposed by Uisce Éireann. The WSP-EMR review was intended to support my decision in relation to the capital consent that would be required if planning approval is obtained for the project.

However, in 2019, the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform revised the value for money requirements for the evaluation, planning and management of public investment projects. The revised requirements introduced an External Assurance Process for major public capital projects in excess of €100 million involving Independent Expert Reviews focused on issues such as cost, risk and ability to deliver.

On the basis that there was significant overlap between the Ministerial review and the independent external assurance process I merged the two reviews to have a single output from the CRU using the External Assurance templates in compliance with the Infrastructure Guidelines.

The Water Supply Project – Eastern and Midlands Region is at the Preliminary Business Case (PBC) stage of the Infrastructure Guidelines (AG1), which is subject to the independent external assurance process. HR Wallingford on behalf of the CRU undertook the independent review, which was completed in November 2023.

As a prerequisite to seeking Government consent for projects at the PBC stage, project proposals and external assurance reviews are scrutinised by the Major Projects Advisory Group (MPAG) in advance of a decision to proceed. The project PBC, independent external review and supporting documentation was considered by MPAG in January 2024 and has issued its report to the Department.

The reports are currently being reviewed by my Department prior to being brought to Government for consideration at Approval Gate 1 (AG1) and progression to the next stage of the Infrastructure Guidelines Process (AG2).

The CRU report on the WSP-EMR will be considered for publication in-line with the Infrastructure Guidelines following consideration by Government.