Minister Chambers Urges Public Service to Embrace Risk for Infrastructure Acceleration

Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers stated that risk aversion in the public service hinders progress and announced that the Government will encourage staff to take more risks to accelerate infrastructure development. Speaking at the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland (ACEI) conference in Dublin, Chambers confirmed that the €275 billion capital spending plans would not be cut to cover departmental overruns or economic downturns, emphasizing that capital expenditure is crucial for Ireland’s medium-term growth.

Chambers noted that in past economic cycles, capital spending was the first to be compromised, with long-term negative consequences. He revealed €4 billion in unallocated capital funding would be made available in the latter half of the next five years to incentivize delivery across critical sectors like water, transport, energy, and housing.

The Government will publish «risk appetite statements» to signal to public servants that they should prioritize speed and delivery over excessive process. Chambers highlighted that his department has already removed external reviews and increased thresholds in infrastructure guidelines, saving 26 weeks on the Waterford Wastewater Treatment Plant project. Additionally, Uisce Éireann has advanced the Greater Dublin Drainage Project commissioning from late 2032 to Q4 2031, a 12-month reduction. Regulatory simplification is also progressing, with the Marine Area Regulatory Authority (Mara) reducing timelines for Marine Area Consents by approximately 30 percent for Uisce Éireann and Local Authorities.