Fianna Fáil TD Albert Dolan has welcomed Minister Jack Chambers’ new 30-action Infrastructure Plan, saying it will prove to be “transformational” for delivering key infrastructure projects nationwide.
In particular, the action to establish a new Infrastructure Division in the Department of Enterprise and Reform is most welcome, according to Deputy Dolan.
“I warmly welcome the establishment of a new infrastructure Division in the Department. It will be crucial to oversee critical infrastructure, reduce inter-agency delays and improve transparency and coordination. It will a great addition to better accountability and ensuring faster more efficient delivery of critical infrastructure across the country.
Reforming Procurement Processes is a key focus for Dolan, who has led procurement reform through his Public Payments / Purchase Order Tracker, which brings together €78.5 billion in 400,000+ transactions reported by 200+ State entities.
The dataset shows who was paid, for what, and when. The tracker makes public procurement work better for people: transparent, trackable, and delivering value for every euro.
Under the new Infrastructure Plan, the plan supports upcoming EU procurement changes, updates to the Capital Works Management Framework and promotes international contract forms, while improving standardisation, professionalism, centralisation, and training.
Objectives of the actions include:
- Faster Approval Gate 2 timelines
- Fewer single-bidder tenders
- More international contractor involvement
- Reduction in delays caused by inter-agency conflicts
- Timely delivery of critical infrastructure projects
- Improved transparency and coordination across sectoral portfolios
Dolan said procurement is essential for value for money and that it will speed up delivery, attract more competition, reduce timelines, and improve outcomes. With a 25% delivery deficit, he said government must “pull every lever” to accelerate progress.
He noted Fianna Fáil prioritised infrastructure in the election and secured major Programme for Government reforms among the most ambitious introduced by any Irish Government.
“Delays in housing, transport, and utilities show the need for change. Fianna Fáil in Government has already created a new Infrastructure Division in Public Expenditure and an Accelerating Infrastructure Taskforce,” he said.
Dolan said Fianna Fáil Ministers James Browne, Darragh O’Brien, and Jim O’Callaghan will deliver most actions over the coming year. He added that unprecedented investment is now matched by unprecedented system reform.
“Fianna Fáil is committed to the reforms needed to unlock timely infrastructure delivery,” he concluded.
ENDS