Critical Infrastructure Bill Fast-Tracked, Section 15 of Climate Act Disapplied

The controversial Critical Infrastructure Bill, fast-tracked into committee stage without pre-legislative scrutiny, allows the Government to designate almost any project as critical infrastructure. This broad definition extends beyond the National Development Plan (NDP) priorities, raising concerns about potential abuses of power and lobbying to bypass climate obligations.

A key provision of this Bill is the disapplication of section 15 of the amended Climate Act for designated critical infrastructure projects. Section 15 requires public bodies to perform functions consistent with greenhouse gas emission mitigation, climate action plans, and the national climate objective. This section has been central to recent legal challenges, including the Coolglass, Ennis data centre, and Shannon LNG cases.

Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers argues that disapplying section 15 removes an «unnecessary layer» driving increased judicial reviews, which he believes are often ideologically motivated to frustrate critical infrastructure delivery, including renewable projects. However, critics, including An Taisce and Friends of the Earth Ireland, view this as the third attempt in four months to undermine the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015. They suggest the Government is dismantling the Climate Act to facilitate emissions-intensive projects, potentially locking the State into a high-carbon economic model.