Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 April 2026
41. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the action he is taking to reduce delays in critical infrastructure projects from planning to completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27343/26]
View answerMy Department is responsible for the Infrastructure Guidelines, which replaced the Public Spending Code for capital appraisal since end 2023. These set the value for money requirements and guidance for evaluating, planning and managing Exchequer-funded capital projects. Management and delivery of investment projects and public services within allocation and the national frameworks, including the Infrastructure Guidelines, is a key responsibility of every Department, Accounting Officer and Minister.
The Accelerating Infrastructure report, published in December 2025, sets out 30 time-bound actions to speed up the pace of infrastructure delivery. Action 23 in the Accelerating Infrastructure report commits the Government to streamline and speed up the project approvals process by amending the Infrastructure Guidelines. These changes, which were implemented in Q1 2026 via circular 08/2026, include:
• In relation to Major Projects, the threshold will increase from €200m to €500m for sectors with a well established track record of delivery (Transport, Energy and Water).
• For all sectors, the External Assurance Process (EAP) will be replaced with a streamlined and time-bound internal review by the relevant Vote section in DPER; and
• Major projects at Approval Gate 2 will no longer need Ministerial approval and may now be approved solely by the Accounting Officer of the Government Department that is funding the proposed project.
In addition, under Action 25 of the report, there are a series of reforms to our capital procurement processes that are due for Q2 this year which also target streamlining and simplifying the Capital Works Management Framework (CWMF).
These reforms to the Infrastructure Guidelines are being progressed in parallel with other actions in the Accelerating Infrastructure Action Plan to support coordination, align planning and funding, and create a more predictable pathway for delivering critical infrastructure are being implemented. This will result in a reduction in timelines for project approval and delivery, while retaining sufficient protections to ensure value for public money.
My Department, led by the Infrastructure Division, is managing the monitoring and reporting on delivery of the actions in the Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan.
