Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is absolutely right on that. I was actually at the infrastructure committee for most of the afternoon where we discussed this at length. In the summer economic statement and budget 2026, we have prioritised capital investment in the economy. There is €19 billion being allocated next year, which is about 5.3% of GNI*, which is a significant signal from us about trying to create, as a Government, the space to really invest in capital infrastructure in our economy. However, additionality on its own does nothing. That is why we will publish the reforms and actions we are trying to advance in the weeks following the budget, which is all about trying to truncate and shorten the project life cycle around water, transport and energy infrastructure, which is taking too long.

Some of it relates to our legal system. The Deputy is right. Narrow interests are subverting the public interest in how the process is evolving. A lot of work has been done by our colleague, the Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan. There is also ongoing work between my Department, the Department of housing and the Department of justice on the environmental legal aid scheme, for example, and reforms there. All of this frames the reforms we will advance in the actions which we have published and through the accelerated infrastructure task force, really trying to demonstrate how we can shorten the project life cycle, which is too long and is harming some investment decisions. Ultimately, it will constrain economic growth unless we drive delivery. I am in absolute agreement with what the Deputy said. We will show the outcomes from the work we are doing in the weeks following the budget.