Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 March 2026
374. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the estimated cost to the Exchequer between 2015 and 2025 arising from projects requiring a restart of EIA or AA processes following quashing orders; and whether a cost-benefit analysis has been conducted in relation to the proposed judicial review reforms. [16710/26]
View answerThere are no figures held centrally on the estimated cost to the Exchequer of projects requiring a restart of an EIA or AA process following a quashing order. State infrastructure projects are led by the respective sponsoring authority and this information would only be available to these bodies.
Nevertheless, there is no doubt that quashing orders have imposed significant costs on the Exchequer. To take a specific example, the quashing order applied to the Greater Dublin Drainage project in 2021 required updated environmental assessments to be completed ahead of a new planning application. The conduct of these assessments and their evaluation by ACP will have delayed the project's commencement and hence increased the project's cost.
Regarding potential changes to judicial review, these have not been subject to cost-benefit analysis. Cost-benefit analysis is a form of economic appraisal that is typically applied to specific projects or investments. In Ireland, the Infrastructure Guidelines require the use of economic appraisal in any capital investments above €20m. There is no requirement to apply economic appraisal, such as a cost-benefit analysis to potential legislative changes.
