Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2026
294. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if the Government have yet to designate any project as critical as per the terms of the Critical Infrastructure Act 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51822/26]
View answerThe Critical Infrastructure Act 2026 provides a statutory basis for the acceleration of decision-making around projects and programmes that are designated as critical infrastructure. The Act requires that all reasonable steps be taken by public bodies, both individually and collectively, to progress any functions they may have in relation to these designated projects and programmes as quickly as possible.
Section 3 of the Act sets out how projects or programmes will be designated as critical infrastructure. In summary, the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation will make a recommendation to Government in respect of an individual project or programme. Government will consider the recommendation, and, if approved, an order designating the project or programme as critical infrastructure will be laid before the Dáil.
The President signed the Act into law on 25th June 2026 and it will be commenced in full shortly. It is my intention to commence the process of designating projects or programmes as critical infrastructure shortly thereafter.
