Critical Infrastructure Bill 2026: Committee and Remaining Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-16
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Nessa Cosgrove (LAB), Labour Panel

It is very important that we do not fall into a binary way of thinking where we must choose between climate action and infrastructure projects. I do not think anyone would disagree. Sadly, it is the legacy of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael that we have not seen key infrastructure projects. As someone living in the north west, I have seen this. Climate action cannot be blamed for that because the Act was not even around at that time. BAM and the children's hospital is an example. We have a big problem with public procurement. We can also see it in the €50 million Irish Rail project that is now gone. It is not fair to blame climate action.
This debate seems to suggest that we must choose between climate action and infrastructure projects. That is the wrong approach. As a result, we are going to be left with billions in fines, which we already have to pay. How is that money going to be accounted for? Of course, I agree that we need infrastructure. I agree with developing motorways. However, no legislation that is introduced should undermine the climate action Act. We spent a long time deliberating on that Act. As I have said already, there could be constitutional issues with this. I hope the Minister will consider this. Deleting section 7 and requiring climate action to be considered will in no way impact on the delivery of critical infrastructure projects. Whether we are going to disregard climate action or whether we are going to see the benefits of such action will have to be considered when delivering any critical infrastructure projects. This approach of seeing it as one or the other is wrong. It has been proven that it does not work. Our delivery of infrastructure projects in this country has been very poor and that has nothing to do with climate action.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-06-16/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:03+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-16