As per the Programme for Government, a new Infrastructure Division has been created within the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform to look at national critical economic infrastructure delivery.
The workplan of the division will include identifying barriers to efficient delivery of key infrastructure in the transport network, electricity and water sectors and will produce a number of high- impact, actions to accelerate delivery. The Academy were invited and attended a structured meeting on 3rd June 2025 with the Accelerating Infrastructure Unit who are time bound to make a report to Government in July on our findings.
The Academy team consisted of:
Sean Finlay – President 2025-2026
Tom Leahy – Special Advisor, Director & Past President
Eamonn O’Reilly –Energy & Climate Action committee(Chair)
Tim Corcoran –Infrastructure committee(Chair) & Hon. Treasurer
Both ACEI and Engineers Ireland were also represented at the meeting.
The Accelerating Infrastructure Unit included secondees from TII , Eirgrid and Uisce Éireann.
A detailed written response was prepared in advance by the Academy and supplied after the meeting to DPER.
President Sean Finlay in his opening address said “We welcome the Government focus on Infrastructure delivery i.e. the formation of a Cabinet Committee; a dedicated Infrastructure Delivery Task Force; a review of International Practice; this engagement examining Barriers to Delivery and the review of the NDP. We also welcome the creation of a Joint Oireachtas Committee on Infrastructure, a Major Projects Advisory Group and a Construction Sector Group.”
We also highlighted the most relevant recent Academy reports:
- April 2025 – The energy transition-what is the 2050 action plan and timeline?
- March 2025 – Infrastructure 2025 – 2040
- November 2024 – Strategic Infrastructure – Major Project Delivery
The full Academy response is available on our website – IAE Response to DPER structured discussion on accelerating infrastructure delivery
The Academy team provided many suggestions on how infrastructure delivery can be accelerated focussing on what needs to be done.
The Irish Academy of Engineering will continue to contribute to this important topic and provide thought leadership at a time of great change.