Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 April 2026
66. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the measures he has introduced to ensure value-for-money in respect of public capital projects. [26720/26]
View answerMy Department is responsible for the Infrastructure Guidelines, which set out the value for money guidelines and requirements for the evaluation, planning and management of public capital investment projects. The guidelines apply to all public bodies and all bodies in receipt of Exchequer capital funding. Government Departments and their Accounting Officers are responsible for ensuring that departments and agencies draw up their own sector specific procedures which align with these Guidelines.
Recent changes to the Infrastructure Guidelines, such as the removal of the External Assurance Process at the Preliminary Business Case stage and the requirement for Ministerial approval at Approval Gate 2, along with an increase in project thresholds for the Transport, Water and Energy sectors, were made with the intention of ensuring further value for money for capital projects by reducing the costs associated with delays to project delivery timelines.
Delays to Infrastructure project delivery increase project costs, reduce value for money, and hinder sustainable productivity and economic growth. The changes made to the Infrastructure Guidelines were one action in a series of reforms that are being undertaken, designed to reduce project delivery delays, as per the Accelerating Infrastructure Action Plan. Other changes include giving NDFA support to sectors for project development, simplifying and streamlining planning and regulatory consents and added coordination to ensure alignment between projects.
Robust oversight arrangements remain in place to ensure value for public money. With regard to major infrastructure projects, Ministers are required to bring a Memorandum for Government seeking consent to approve the proposal at both Preliminary Business Case (Approval in Principle) and Final Business Case Stage prior to the awarding of a contract (Approval Gate 1 and 3). Prior to seeking this consent, Ministers must be satisfied that the proposed project represents value for money.
For capital works that come under the Major Project threshold, the Approving Authority, which in most cases is the funding department, have ultimate responsibility, and it is the responsibility of the relevant Accounting Officer to ensure compliance with the relevant requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines. This is part of the overall Accounting Officer role in terms of accountability, delivery, regularity, propriety and ensuring value for money.
