Infrastructure projects suitable for fast-tracking to be identified in coming weeks
Several projects that can be fast-tracked under new critical infrastructure legislation will be identified in the coming weeks, infrastructure minister Jack Chambers has confirmed.He will bring legislation to Cabinet in March that will see some projects expedited through the planning process. Tánaiste Simon Harris said this will include flood defence schemes.These will be the latest government bids to tackle infrastructure backlogs and the lengthy planning process.Mr Harris recently told a meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party that flood relief schemes will be treated as critical infrastructure under new emergency laws to be introduced in the wake of Storm Chandra.At a press conference, Mr Chambers confirmed the Critical Infrastructure Bill will be brought to Cabinet next month. He said this will be an “enabling piece of legislation” allowing the Government to “prioritise and fast-track projects” once the new laws pass through the Dáil. “One of the issues we've seen with flood relief schemes, you take the issue with Enniscorthy, from when that was rejected, it's taken four years to even look for planning,” Mr Chambers said.
The pace of the design phase of a lot of flood relief schemes are too slow, and we need to much improve each stage of the project life cycle when it comes to flood relief schemes.
“The bill is an enabling piece of legislation, so it'll be a matter for Government after enactment to prioritise a piece of infrastructure that's ready to be advanced and fast-tracked through. That could be in transport, energy, water, or other infrastructure.”He said the plan is to identify those projects over the coming weeks, so they are ready to be fast-tracked when the bill is enacted.Mr Chambers also announced changes to infrastructure guidelines, which could remove up to 20 weeks from the approval process for major projects.External consultants will no longer be employed to conduct assessments on projects. It will also remove the need for ministerial approval at certain stages of the planning process.Mr Chambers denied this change would remove ministerial accountability. He insisted ministers will be involved in the approval of a project after a preliminary business case, and again to award the final contract after it has gone to tender.However, ministers previously had to approve the step in between to commence the final detailed design work, procurement, tender evaluation, and final contract. This will now be signed off by a department’s accounting officer to save time.“It's removing an interim step which has been demonstrated to be unnecessary,” Mr Chambers said.Louise Burne is Political Correspondent.
