Offaly Deputy calls for cultural shift in approach to infrastructure planning and development

DEPUTY John Clendennen has welcomed the publication of the inaugural report from the Joint Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery, highlighting the importance of timely and efficient infrastructure planning for Ireland’s future prosperity.

Speaking at the report’s launch, Deputy Clendennen stressed the urgent need for a cultural shift in how infrastructure planning and development are approached, particularly in relation to timelines and costs associated with project applications.

“Whether at a local or national level, there’s a cultural change that’s needed here in relation to what the actual cost of these applications materialise to be,” said Deputy Clendennen. “Be it in terms of time or money, those costs have become considerable in recent years. We need to critically assess and reduce those timelines to ensure Ireland remains an attractive place to live, work and invest.”

Deputy Clendennen praised the establishment of the Committee, recognising its role in fostering a more streamlined and effective delivery of Ireland’s infrastructure priorities. He acknowledged the leadership of both, An Taoiseach and An Tánaiste, Simon Harris for initiating the committee and supporting its non-partisan mission.

“It’s an honour to serve on this committee. I want to commend the Chair, Deputy Sean Fleming and all the members for their collective work. To be fair, we’ve done this in a non-partisan way, with the national interest at the core. Too often politics is criticised for being parochial but in this case, I believe we’ve taken a holistic, unified approach.”

READ NEXT: Lemanaghan heritage group mount protest outside Aras an Chontae

Deputy Clendennen reaffirmed his commitment to working collaboratively with stakeholders across the political spectrum to advance infrastructure solutions that meet the needs of communities today while preparing Ireland for future growth.

The Joint Committee’s first report sets out the engagement and recurring themes raised by witnesses at the committee’s meetings thus far with a view to improving the transparency, accountability, and delivery speed of major infrastructure projects under the National Development Plan.

READ NEXT: Offaly hoteliers urge Government to tackle increases in cost of doing business