Public Expenditure Policy
Dail Éireann — 2026-07-07
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Jack Chambers (FF), Dublin West

The Critical Infrastructure Act 2026 provides a statutory basis for the acceleration of decision-making regarding projects and programmes that are designated as critical infrastructure. The Act requires that all reasonable steps be taken by public bodies, individually and collectively, to progress any functions that they may have in regard to these projects and programmes as quickly as possible.
Section 1 of the Act specifically highlights transport, energy and water infrastructure in the definition of infrastructure. However, it does not limit the potential to include other infrastructure, should it be considered necessary.
Section 3 of the Act sets out how projects or programmes will be designated as critical infrastructure. In summary, the Minister for public expenditure will make a recommendation to the Government in respect of the designation of an individual project or programme. The Government will consider the recommendation and, if approved, an order designating the project or programme as critical infrastructure will be laid before the Dáil. Provision is also made to allow the Dáil to annul any order laid before it.
This section also sets out those factors that I as Minister may have regard to in making a recommendation to the Government. These are as follows: the need to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of a project or programme; whether delay to, or disruption of, the delivery of a project or programme or failure to deliver a project or programme would have adverse economic or social consequences for the State; whether a project or programme may impact in a positive or negative manner on the delivery of any specific programme; the national development plan; and other matters that the Minister may consider appropriate.
When I bring an initial recommendation to the Government, my focus will be on a small number of critical projects or programmes in the energy, transport and water sectors, with a particular focus on those projects that will benefit the most from an immediate designation. That has yet to happen, but I expect it will in the coming weeks.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-07-07/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:07+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-07