2025-12-11

14. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the way in which the new infrastructure report will benefit County Offaly, particularly in terms of investment and regional development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70413/25]

I thank Deputy McCormack for his question. Last week, the Government published the accelerating infrastructure report and action plan. This is a comprehensive programme of actions designed to speed up the delivery of critical infrastructure across the State. This action plan responds to well-documented challenges of lengthy development timelines, fragmented processes and rising costs. These have all been identified as major barriers to achieving Ireland’s housing, energy and climate objectives. The report is evidence-based. It has been built on the research and analysis of my Department, the views received during the public consultation and stakeholder engagement undertaken by my Department over the summer and the expert input and advice from the members of the accelerating infrastructure task force. The plan sets out 30 targeted actions grouped under four pillars, each addressing a key area of reform. The actions address the 12 barriers to the timely delivery of infrastructure that were highlighted in the report published by my Department in July. A four-week online and in-person public consultation last summer supported the preparation of that report published in July by providing an opportunity for stakeholders and the general public from across the country to feed into this work. I hosted events during this consultation period, including a regional event in Athlone. The actions selected represent a transformative approach to streamlining development processes and significantly reducing delivery timelines, ensuring a more efficient and timely delivery of critical infrastructure nationwide. Together, these actions will ensure the record investment under the national development plan translates into faster, more efficient delivery of housing, energy and transport infrastructure, supporting Ireland’s economic growth, climate commitments and Delivering Homes, Building Communities. This will benefit every county and region of Ireland, as infrastructure projects play an essential role in supporting Ireland’s balanced economic growth and meeting the demands of a rapidly expanding population. There are considerable infrastructure projects under way in County Offaly. I am sure the Deputy is aware of the Edenderry wastewater treatment plant, a number of regeneration projects and education and schools' projects across the county and the work being undertaken in the context of transport investment.

I thank the Minister. The accelerating infrastructure report and action plan outlines significant reforms aimed at improving delivery of major projects, including streamlining approval processes, a single decision pathway for water investment and stronger co-ordination across agencies. These reforms are welcome. For Offaly, infrastructure is key for future economic development, enterprise growth and balanced regional progress. The water supply project for the eastern and midlands region is central to this and will cross Offaly, with Dunkerrin and Tullamore identified for future outtakes. However, the spur connections and local system upgrades required to utilise that supply are currently planned in later phases. If delivered sequentially, the benefit to Offaly could be realised an awful lot sooner. The cost of doing this work would be cheaper now than it would be if it is done in the future. We have seen from other projects previously, second phases sometimes do not proceed for many years. If we want balanced growth in the region, we need to do this now, rather than in a second phase. The key point is that Offaly needs that spur, those integration works and the wastewater upgrades delivered together as one co-ordinated package, not in separate phases.

We are keen to ensure all infrastructure in the State, including in County Offaly, is accelerated. At present, it takes 15 years to build a road and it can take up to ten years to deliver wastewater and water infrastructure and seven or eight years for electricity or energy infrastructure. These timelines are all too long to meet the growing demands of our population and economy. As regards the eastern midlands water supply project, which is of interest to the Deputy, this is an issue on which we can engage with Irish Water. Obviously, it is critical that we advance the project for the east and midlands more generally. Irish Water is working through how it can accelerate the planning of the project and ensure it can commence. Whatever can be done to drive its delivery will be critical for the future development and growth of the east, as well as ensuring basic water supply. I will ask the project design team to respond directly to the Deputy on the issues with phasing or sequencing.

A core feature of the new infrastructure plan is to improve transparency and accountability. For Offaly, we need clear visibility that the Shannon pipeline spur and the wastewater upgrades are progressing together and not in staggered phases. Will the Minister commit to a county-level delivery reporting, so communities in Tullamore, Edenderry, Birr, Clara and Banagher can track progress and gain confidence that these projects will be delivered in one integrated programme, unlocking real regional development for Offaly?

I hope when we look at rural infrastructure that we also look at areas that have not been supported before. To take a template of Arklow, the town is blessed to have one of the finest wastewater treatment plants in Europe. The population of the town is about to explode, however. There is a new data centre, offshore wind farms and thousands of houses planned but we have only one bridge. The town will choke if the infrastructure development does not match other development. I am speaking about infrastructure in terms of roads and bridges, but also social infrastructure. I appeal to the Minister to ensure areas that have not been supported before are looked after in this new programme.

To respond first to Deputy McCormack, again, the whole focus is on driving delivery. I take his point on the role of that particular project in the east and midlands. We will engage with Irish Water on it. Obviously, we do not want to delay the current design, which could possibly hold back the project by a number of years. There is a need to accelerate its delivery because it is a critical project for the State. To respond to Deputy Brennan, we have tried to complement the prioritisation we have given in the national development plan with social infrastructure. We have record levels of investment in transport infrastructure in the State of €24 billion. The Minister for housing, Deputy Browne, has also set out proposals for an infrastructure fund to try to complement housing delivery to support the broader infrastructure where there is significant housing development and having that enabling infrastructure. If we look at the overall capital allocation for education, for example, it is €7.5 billion over the next five years. This is to ensure we continue development of critical education infrastructure across the State. We have had record funding, for example, on sports capital to ensure we have sports infrastructure built in communities. This is something we are continuing to commit to.