Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

Everyone across this House acknowledges that the State has to play a central role in the future of infrastructure delivery and the provision of housing in our economy. That has been acknowledged in the context of what we are going to do and how we will strategically invest more than €20 billion from the Apple escrow fund and the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund to prioritise housing, energy, water and transport infrastructure. They are all critical growth-enabling areas in which we need to invest to protect and progress Ireland’s future.

Deputy Bacik is critical of the housing activation office and what the Minister, Deputy Browne, has sought to do. In the interim, staff are being deployed from the Department of housing into that office, as well as respective experts from utilities being seconded, to try to address some of the blockages that exist at a local level. I am also stepping up an infrastructure division in the Department of public expenditure to respond to the absolute need to accelerate infrastructure delivery across our economy. In parallel with that, we are developing a programme of reform to try to address and narrow a lot of the timelines, which are too long and elongated in delivering housing and infrastructure across our State. It is all about trying to synchronise delivery between water, energy, utility providers and the respective delivery agents that need to deliver more across our economy.

When it comes to the Deputy’s question with respect to Irish Water, as I set out on budget day, a €1 billion equity investment was provided for in budget 2025 following the sale of the bank shares. This was in addition to the voted Exchequer allocation provided as part of the funding mix. The Deputy referenced the correspondence from the chair of Irish Water, who is an excellent chair and also the chair of Dublin Port. He reflected the need for clarity and expressed concerns that were responded to at the time by the Minister for housing. In further correspondence from the chair, he acknowledged the appreciation of the Uisce Éireann executive and board for the commitment of the Department, the Minister at the time and the Government. He indicated the support and responsiveness of the Department had been genuinely helpful and he appreciated the time and attention given to clarifying the funding available for Uisce Éireann for 2025 and the use allocation of the additional €1 billion capital investment. A few days after the correspondence the Deputy referenced, therefore, the Minister clarified the matter. That was acknowledged by the chair of Irish Water at the time. I acknowledge the need, however, particularly in the context of water infrastructure, for additionality to accelerate the delivery of additional wastewater treatment and to provide for additional connections for new homes. That is why we have been clear that water investment will be central to the allocation that will be received in the national development plan in July and why it is a strategic area of priority for the Government. Irish Water has the multi-annual funding to accelerate delivery where there is a significant deficit across the State.

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