The 2026 Addleshaw Goddard (Ireland) LLP Infrastructure Roundtable brought together experts from across the infrastructure, planning, and investment sectors to discuss Ireland’s development trajectory. This year’s session, chaired by Gavin Blake, Partner in Infrastructure Projects and Energy and held at our Dublin office, this year’s discussion focused on three critical pillars for delivery: speed, certainty, and simplification.
Judicial Review and Regulatory Reform
A central topic was the evolving landscape of judicial review (JR) in Ireland. While capped cost regulations and streamlined procedures have been introduced to discourage speculative or unmeritorious JR applications, credible challenges remain an important check within the system. The Planning and Environmental Court Division has been particularly successful, with fast-track procedures enabling many JRs to be resolved within six months, a significant improvement in efficiency.
However, the group acknowledged that the complexity of planning regulations, especially in the application of EU law, continues to create uncertainty and slow progress. The need for simplification, making information more digestible for the public and streamlining processes, was seen as critical to expediting infrastructure delivery.
Regulation: Striking the Right Balance
Ireland’s approach to implementing EU regulations was described as “gold-plated”, with a tendency to exceed minimum requirements, particularly in the public sector. While this ensures high standards, it can also introduce unnecessary delays and bureaucracy, especially in sectors such as offshore wind. Comparisons with more decentralised systems, such as Spain’s, highlighted how projects can progress regardless of political changes, providing greater consistency and confidence for investors.
Accelerated Decision-Making and Sectoral Comparison
The group also explored the appetite for risk within public bodies and the need for a more proactive, solution-oriented culture, moving away from an adversarial approach to claims and procurement, and towards greater collaboration and innovation.
Comparisons with the UK highlighted a more streamlined approach to planning and JR, with a focus on sector engagement and a commitment to mega-projects providing reassurance to the market. Ireland’s legislative reforms are progressing rapidly, but there is scope for further alignment and standardisation.
Skills, Resources and Future Challenges
Addressing resource and skills shortages remains a significant challenge for the sector. Investment in skills development and establishing a robust framework for project delivery are seen as essential, particularly in light of upcoming planning legislation. The discussion also highlighted the potential benefits of devolution and more decentralised decision-making—drawing on examples from the UK, as a means to improve efficiency and responsiveness in Ireland’s infrastructure delivery.
Zoning, Land Supply, and Financing
Zoning constraints for residential development remain a key barrier to the servicing of land, with knock-on effects for project viability and access to lending. The introduction of the Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) represents a significant step towards addressing these issues by seeking to activate zoned and serviced residential land, increase housing supply, and promote the regeneration of vacant and underutilised urban sites.
The group highlighted the need to de-risk projects for mainstream lenders and to provide greater certainty in the regulatory process to unlock private investment.
Innovation, Technology and the Role of AI
The potential for technology and AI to transform infrastructure delivery was a recurring theme throughout the discussion. Participants noted that, in practice, major infrastructure projects frequently face delays and cost overruns, highlighting the need for more effective delivery methods. The adoption of digital tools, data analytics, and AI-powered solutions was identified as a key opportunity to streamline processes, improve collaboration, and achieve better project outcomes. By leveraging these technologies, the industry can address common challenges and drive greater efficiency and certainty in infrastructure delivery.
