Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 14, inclusive, together.

The Cabinet committee on infrastructure last met on Thursday, 17 July and is scheduled to next meet on 3 November. The Cabinet committee works to drive infrastructure delivery and the implementation of the revised national development plan. We are prioritising the delivery of critical, growth-enhancing infrastructure, as outlined in the programme for Government. We have a responsibility to invest in the future and delivery of modern, sustainable and resilient infrastructure is vital for our national competitiveness, fostering regional development, delivering housing and meeting social needs.

The recently published review of the national development plan sets out the largest capital investment in the history of the State to unlock housing, upgrade water and energy infrastructure, deliver more roads and provide better public transport. In budget 2026 we announced €19.1 billion in Exchequer capital investment, an increase of €2 billion on 2025. This represents the highest annual spend to date in this country. Reform of delivery is also key to our approach. The new dedicated infrastructure division in the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation recently published its report outlining the most impactful barriers to infrastructure development, based on extensive consultation. This report has put significant detail behind what we already knew, that delivery of much needed infrastructure is taking too long.

Our regulatory and consent systems have evolved over time to the point where we have a complex landscape, characterised by an increasing number of decisions being referred to the courts for interpretation. All too frequently, this is leading to processes that take too long and an extremely conservative system. Next month, a detailed action plan to begin to tackle these barriers will be published. It will have a focused set of reforms that are practical, time-bound, and impactful. We will be taking action to strike a better balance between the rights of individuals and the public good. We will be simplifying regulation and consenting systems, reducing the administrative burden and cutting the red tape so that our systems are not delaying much-needed investment. The Government has now committed more than €275 billion to investment in infrastructure over the coming decade and the Cabinet committee will oversee the investment and the reforms required to maximise the efficiency with which it is delivered.

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