Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 8 October 2025

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery

Business of Joint Committee

2:00 am

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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We have received apologies from Deputy Conor Sheehan. At the outset, I remind members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House complex to participate in public meetings. Members are also reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable or otherwise engage in speech that may be regarded as damaging to the good name of a person or entity. Therefore, if members' statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

The first item on the agenda is the minutes of the meeting of 24 September, which have been circulated. Are they agreed? Agreed.

Our next item is correspondence and there is one item. IBEC has invited us to attend an in-person seminar called Accelerating Our Infrastructure Ambition: A Pathway for Delivering Infrastructure in Ireland. The event will take place next Monday, 13 October, from 1.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. at IBEC's head office on Baggot Street. I highlight this matter for the attention of members. The invitation contains a link for anyone who wishes to attend. I will attend the seminar as I think it could be useful. It is up to individual members to make contact with IBEC if they choose to do so.

Our next item for discussion is future committee meetings. Today, we will meet three groups of engineers who will attend here together. On 15 October, the Construction Industry Federation has proposed to bring with it representatives of three major construction companies, namely, Walls Construction, the Murphy Group and John Flanagan Developments. IBEC has suggested those but we will be bringing in other companies, probably in a couple of weeks' time. On 22 October, we propose to have a meeting with representatives of the Commission for Regulation of Utilities and Gas Networks Ireland. Those are key deliveries for the next two meetings.

The following week the Dáil will be in recess. We are talking about inviting representatives of some further companies in after. We will have heard from a lot of the public bodies. We want to hear the points of view of the people and companies who will deliver these projects, with a view to having a report in early December. We will have a number of meetings in November. I do not have a detailed schedule for that yet. If anybody knows of anybody germane to the work we are doing, please let us or the secretariat know.

Photo of Joe NevilleJoe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Who are the three construction companies?

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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It is at the suggestion of the CIF. It is up to us to approve them. We are taking its suggestion of Walls Construction and the Murphy Group. We saw the Murphy Group in Ringsend the other day.

Photo of Joe NevilleJoe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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We did.

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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Some of its signs were visible. The CIF also suggested "John Flanagan", although I am not sure John Flanagan which. It could be John Flanagan in the midlands.

Photo of Tony McCormackTony McCormack (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Mr. Dominic Doheny was involved in the CIF for a long time - he was its president - and would have huge knowledge of the building federation and contractors on the ground.

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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We are taking advice from the CIF. We will draw up a list. We are asking the CIF for key players.

Photo of Joe NevilleJoe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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That is the suggestion I wish to make. Can we bring in house builders? It might be a separate meeting, as the ones the Chair just mentioned are construction firms and involved in big projects in town, but I am thinking of Ardstone, Glenveagh Homes and-----

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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What was the name of the first organisation?

Photo of Joe NevilleJoe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Ardstone.

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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What about Ballymore Group?

Photo of Joe NevilleJoe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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That would be perfect.

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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We will come up back with that information for the next meeting. Those are three big players.

Photo of Joe NevilleJoe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Since it would be a different construction discussion, that makes sense.

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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We should bring in people who construct houses and apartments.

Photo of Joe NevilleJoe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Those companies do. It is worth a conversation.

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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It is. Rather than mixing those companies up with others who do roads------

Photo of Joe NevilleJoe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Exactly.

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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-----we will keep them separate. That is good. That is the general position of where we are at this stage.

Before we go on to the next item of business, which is bringing in the three groups, we will suspend for a few moments while the guests take their seats.

Sitting suspended at 3.42 p.m. and resumed at 3.48 p.m.