Nine projects to be fast-tracked under act
The Government has agreed to designate nine projects as ‘critical infrastructure’ under legislation designed to speed up the delivery of major public assets.
Under the Critical Infrastructure Act 2026, every public body will be required to do everything within its power to accelerate approval of any designated projects or programmes.
The nine projects were approved after a recommendation put forward by Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation Jack Chambers.
Three key areas
They are spread across the three areas identified as being of particular importance in the act – transport, energy, and water.
The nine projects designated are:
- MetroLink (Dublin),
- Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme,
- Galway City Ring Road,
- Water Supply Project for the Eastern and Midlands Region,
- Greater Dublin Drainage Project,
- Limerick (Bunlicky) Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade and Bioresource Centre,
- North South 400 kV Interconnector,
- Moneypoint 400 kV Series Capacitor Project, and
- Letterkenny 110 kV Redevelopment Project.
Under the 2026 act, public bodies are legally obliged to prioritise the performance of any functions they may have in relation to the designated projects over and above any other projects.
Designation also requires bodies to take any necessary steps to reduce the time required for any authorisation to be completed.
It also requires public bodies to allocate any administrative, technical, and decision-making resources needed to accomplish these goals.
‘Break through inertia’
The Government says that further designation orders will be brought forward “at regular intervals” throughout the year.
Minister Chambers said that the decisions announced today (24 July) signalled the Government’s determination to “break through inertia” and “slash project timelines”.
“The focus of designation is on energy, transport, and water infrastructure, because this is the infrastructure we need to accelerate if we are to achieve all of our other national priorities, particularly housing,” he added.