Judicial reviews are the current scapegoat for delayed delivery of big infrastructure projects and housing developments. The Government’s recent Accelerating Infrastructure report aims to reverse at least 15 years of drift in the delivery of infrastructure in Ireland. Some politicians, looking at the rise of populism, have made the connection between that and low levels of public infrastructure and community building. The inherent risk of “joint and several” liability means public sector projects are considered riskier, and hence less attractive, by engineering firms. But the key factor affecting the industry’s productivity and capacity is certainty in the pipeline of public sector projects.

Source: The Irish Times December 22, 2025 11:01 UTC