Government moves to speed up infrastructure delivery with new focus on communicating project benefits and regulatory performance
New framework will require public bodies to explain both the benefits of major infrastructure and the cost of delaying projects, while regulators will be expected to publish performance metrics aimed at reducing approval bottlenecks.
2 July 2026 | editor@breakingground.news
The Government has announced a further package of measures aimed at accelerating the delivery of Ireland’s critical infrastructure, with a new requirement for public bodies to better communicate the benefits of major projects while increasing transparency around the performance of regulators responsible for infrastructure approvals.
Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation Jack Chambers TD said the measures form the latest phase of the Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan (AIRAP), which was published in December 2025 to address delays in delivering nationally significant infrastructure despite record levels of public investment.
The announcement follows last week’s enactment of the Critical Infrastructure Act, which introduced new fast-track approval powers for projects designated as critical infrastructure. Together, the legislative changes and new guidance represent a broader Government strategy to reduce delays across planning, regulation and public engagement.
Central to the latest announcement is the introduction of a new Benefits Realisation Framework for Infrastructure, which will be issued to Government departments and public bodies through a formal circular.
The framework requires infrastructure sponsors to explain not only the technical and economic case for projects but also how infrastructure improves people’s daily lives, supports housing delivery and economic growth, while clearly setting out the consequences of failing to proceed.
The Government said the approach is intended to ensure that the evidence already generated through infrastructure appraisals is communicated in a more accessible way during public engagement rather than remaining largely within technical business cases.
A particular emphasis will be placed on housing-enabled infrastructure.
According to Government data, MetroLink directly supports the delivery of approximately 31,700 additional homeswhile unlocking development potential across more than 9,000 hectares of land.
Water infrastructure also features prominently within the framework. The Greater Dublin Drainage project is expected to facilitate up to 185,000 homes while providing wastewater services for around 500,000 people, reflecting forecasts that wastewater volumes across the Greater Dublin Area will increase by approximately 50% by 2050.
Meanwhile, the Eastern and Midlands Water Supply Project is intended to provide water supplies for around 900,000 homes.
Alongside communicating project benefits, the framework introduces a requirement for public bodies to explain the cost of inaction where infrastructure is delayed or not delivered.
The Government cites transport as one example, estimating that failure to deliver MetroLink and other planned transport projects would result in an additional €2 billion annually in congestion costs and lost commuting time by 2033.
Similarly, it states that failure to progress the Eastern and Midlands Water Supply Project would leave the region facing a projected 34% water supply deficit by 2044.
Flood protection schemes are also highlighted as examples of infrastructure whose benefits extend beyond construction.
The Lower Lee Flood Relief Scheme in Cork is expected to protect around 900 homes, 1,200 businesses and approximately €1 billion in property assets, while avoiding flood damage estimated at more than €140 millionduring major flood events.
Alongside the communications framework, Minister Chambers also published new Best Practice KPI Guidance for Regulators of Critical Infrastructure, designed to improve transparency and consistency across Ireland’s regulatory system.
The guidance aims to provide regulators with a standard approach to measuring performance, identifying bottlenecks and monitoring whether reforms are reducing approval timelines. It builds on AIRAP actions requiring fixed timelines and improved coordination across regulatory processes.
The guidance recommends that regulators publish consistent performance data, including the number of application decisions issued, end-to-end approval timelines, the time taken at each stage of the regulatory process and the average number of Requests for Information (RFIs) required for applications. It also encourages reporting on contextual metrics such as applications currently on hand, pre-application meetings and judicial review statistics to provide greater transparency around regulatory workloads.
To ensure consistency, the document recommends that KPIs are developed using the SMART+C methodology, requiring indicators to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound and Comparable. It also advises quarterly and annual public reporting using clear performance targets and standardised reporting formats to allow benchmarking across different regulators.
The guidance draws on international examples from the United Kingdom, Denmark and the European Commission, where regulator performance dashboards and published permitting metrics are already used to improve transparency and monitor infrastructure delivery performance.
Minister Chambers said better communication of infrastructure benefits and stronger performance monitoring would improve accountability while supporting faster delivery of nationally significant projects.
The two publications represent the latest implementation measures under AIRAP as Government continues wider reforms aimed at accelerating housing-enabling infrastructure, simplifying regulatory processes and increasing confidence in Ireland’s capital investment programme.
