The publication today of the Accelerating Infrastructure report is overshadowed by the government’s decision to postpone delivery of DART+ South West and the Luas extension to Finglas, according to Social Democrats Finance, Public Expenditure and Infrastructure spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan.
Deputy O’Callaghan said:
“At today’s launch of Accelerating Infrastructure, bold claims were made by the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Public Expenditure about the urgent need to deliver infrastructure.
“However, the recent decision by government to postpone starting construction of DART+ South West and the Luas extension to Finglas undermine the credibility of these statements.
“People sitting in traffic congestion, or standing on cold mornings watching packed buses pass them by, want to see the government act urgently to get key infrastructure built.
“Instead, the government’s decision to delay much needed public transport infrastructure shows a complete lack of urgency. This impacts on people’s mental health and wellbeing, is damaging to our environment and also increases costs for businesses.
“The Draghi Report on EU competitiveness shows that Ireland has the slowest regulatory and planning processes in the European Union. This is a damning indictment of the government’s record of drift, delay, and deflection.
“If the government are serious about delivering critical infrastructure, they must reverse their decision to postpone much needed public transport projects.”
December 3, 2025