Results 101-120 of 9,898 for speaker:Jack Chambers

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Priorities and Provisions in the Review of the National Development Plan: Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (24 Sep 2025)

Jack Chambers: On the issue of procurement, the report we published in July references challenges with procurement. In fact, there are some barriers to people offering themselves up in that competitive tension, which is required. Some of the reforms we will introduce will relate to procurement and how to have a more collaborative model to attract more domestic activity and some of the international...

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Priorities and Provisions in the Review of the National Development Plan: Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (24 Sep 2025)

Jack Chambers: There is an EU directive being-----

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Priorities and Provisions in the Review of the National Development Plan: Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (24 Sep 2025)

Jack Chambers: Yes. A policy or piece of legislation on that is being evolved at present.

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Priorities and Provisions in the Review of the National Development Plan: Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (24 Sep 2025)

Jack Chambers: I appreciate the question, though.

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Priorities and Provisions in the Review of the National Development Plan: Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (24 Sep 2025)

Jack Chambers: I thank Senator Flynn. I appreciate her four questions. On the first, we had an extensive public consultation for everybody, both Members of the Oireachtas and the public, on the priorities we set out in the national development plan. What the Government was clear on was that it wanted to do this quickly in order to try to unlock investment in key areas. That was important. If you look...

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Priorities and Provisions in the Review of the National Development Plan: Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (24 Sep 2025)

Jack Chambers: For wider compliance with the national planning framework, there is a need for that to align with the sectoral investment plans. As someone born in his county with parents from Mayo - and I know there is lots of Galway representation, including Senator Crowe on this committee - I am very familiar with all the different transport projects he referenced in the context of Galway. The Deputy is...

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Priorities and Provisions in the Review of the National Development Plan: Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (24 Sep 2025)

Jack Chambers: Yes, three major sectors, namely transport, energy and water, for which there is a big proportion of investment but also that impact a lot other areas of the economy and how they are aligned, go under the Cabinet committee on infrastructure as well so there is co-ordination across those areas and it is properly done. Obviously, it is a Government decision and there will be sectoral...

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Priorities and Provisions in the Review of the National Development Plan: Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (24 Sep 2025)

Jack Chambers: I will have to get further detail on that particular project. We heard very clearly the issue of the funding gap Irish Water has had which has impeded the progress of some of the projects. That is why the programme from 2026 to 2030 has a €12 billion investment in water infrastructure. I think there is significant confidence now in Uisce Éireann's ability to give momentum to a...

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Priorities and Provisions in the Review of the National Development Plan: Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (24 Sep 2025)

Jack Chambers: I would have to check that specifically. Ultimately, I want to see these projects start and be delivered. That is the objective. I think the uplift in capital will achieve that. I will have to check the specific point about co-funding and will come back to the committee on it.

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Priorities and Provisions in the Review of the National Development Plan: Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (24 Sep 2025)

Jack Chambers: There are different projections from different Departments and agencies relating to the outturn. Completions were up 35% in quarter 2 from the same period in 2024. The total outturn is something we will have a better sense of in quarter 3 because there were significant commencements last year that did not convert to completions last year-----

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Priorities and Provisions in the Review of the National Development Plan: Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (24 Sep 2025)

Jack Chambers: -----but we are seeing the uptick this year. Different bodies and agencies are giving different projections. We will have a better sense of the final outturn in quarter 3 and we have different forecasts. There are constraints on the grid but the Government's position is that the reason we are providing direct equity to ESB and EirGrid is to create much greater abundance and plan for...

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Priorities and Provisions in the Review of the National Development Plan: Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (24 Sep 2025)

Jack Chambers: There is a higher level of energy intensity relating to AI when it comes to data centres and digital infrastructure. This is where investment is moving and we have to take a portion of it in order to have jobs and growth for the future but obviously, balancing that against the other needs in our communities. As the Deputy referenced, housing is the number one priority so it is about...

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Priorities and Provisions in the Review of the National Development Plan: Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (24 Sep 2025)

Jack Chambers: Absolutely. There is ongoing engagement with CRU at Cabinet committee level and more generally work is ongoing around PR6. There are different policies that underpin that in the context of connections. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, is the direct line Minister for CRU.

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Priorities and Provisions in the Review of the National Development Plan: Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (24 Sep 2025)

Jack Chambers: The total Apple escrow fund of nearly €14 billion is being captured in the plans we are setting out from 2026 to 2030. It is €14.1 billion, to be exact.

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Priorities and Provisions in the Review of the National Development Plan: Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (24 Sep 2025)

Jack Chambers: Low carbon transportation is important and one of the major sectors relevant to reducing our carbon emissions is the transport sector. Investing in low carbon transportation through the Infrastructure,Climate and Nature Fund will help to reduce overall emissions. That is one of our clear priorities. Some €500 million is also going to the Department of Climate, Energy and the...

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Priorities and Provisions in the Review of the National Development Plan: Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (24 Sep 2025)

Jack Chambers: I chair it.

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Priorities and Provisions in the Review of the National Development Plan: Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (24 Sep 2025)

Jack Chambers: Yes. It has involved positive collaborative work. There are six external members who are ambitious about driving reform, as is the team in the infrastructure division. The work we produce will show a real reduction in timelines and that is the measure. It is how we-----

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Priorities and Provisions in the Review of the National Development Plan: Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (24 Sep 2025)

Jack Chambers: Yes, we will be publishing a report and I look forward to and will be happy to have further engagement on it then.

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Priorities and Provisions in the Review of the National Development Plan: Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (24 Sep 2025)

Jack Chambers: On Deputy McCormack's first question, €12 billion will be invested in the next five years in water and wastewater infrastructure. Uisce Éireann will set out with the Department of housing the specific sectoral dimensions of that, which will give the Deputy a more informed view at a county level. I do not have that information in front of me. It is to fully fund water...

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Priorities and Provisions in the Review of the National Development Plan: Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (24 Sep 2025)

Jack Chambers: I have been in Tullamore on a number of occasions. Between the National Ploughing Championships and the Tullamore Show, it has been a busy county and a lot of people have been on the N52 in recent weeks. We have committed to many regional roads. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, is working on updating Transport Infrastructure Ireland's roads programme for the next five years. The N52 is...