Critical Infrastructure Bill 2026: Second Stage
Seanad Éireann — 2026-05-20
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Patricia Stephenson (SD), Labour Panel

I voted against the decision to waive pre-legislative scrutiny in committee on this Bill. I am disappointed in the framing that the committee needed to do so because this Bill is so urgent. The Government's request to waive pre-legislative scrutiny very much undermines our role as parliamentarians. The urgency behind the delivery of infrastructure without adequate expert analysis on Committee Stage is a direct consequence of the decades of the coalition partners, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, failing in that area. They created that urgency and they stopped us from having an expert analysis on the impacts of this very thin Bill.
The reality now is that Ireland urgently needs to deliver critical infrastructure. We need homes, water services, energy infrastructure and public transport. We need it to be delivered at pace that matches the scale of crises that people are living through. The delays are having very real human consequences, as the Minister is aware, particularly those locked out of housing. Communities across Ireland are being hollowed out. The next generation is forced to leave due to the lack of water supply because Uisce Éireann cannot get the water services for new homes to be built.
I am deeply conscious of the issues with this Bill relating to climate obligations. There is a legitimate fear that in trying to solve one crisis, we risk weakening our response to another. Climate legislation was not introduced as a symbolic exercise, it was introduced because this State has repeatedly failed to act with sufficient urgency on emissions and environmental protections. I do not believe that anyone in this Chamber wants to create a false choice between housing delivery and climate responsibility. We must achieve both. Communities already experiencing the effects of climate change know that these issues cannot simply be parked for another day. Pre-legislative scrutiny would have helped improve this legislation. Scrutiny does not mean obstruction. Where there is urgency, the robust examination can happen within tight timelines and can ultimately strengthen legislation rather than delay it. That, however, was not afforded to us. While I acknowledge the need to deliver infrastructure and housing, it is also important to acknowledge that elements of this Bill represent a real setback in terms of climate safeguards, and this should concern us all. I hope the Minister will be open to engaging with us on amendments on this issue on Committee Stage.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-05-20/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:58+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-20