A new Accelerating Infrastructure Taskforce has been launched by Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, Jack Chambers TD.

The Taskforce, chaired by the Minister, has been established to oversee the Department's programme of reform to unblock barriers and accelerate infrastructure delivery.

The specific functions of the Taskforce will include:

• Providing strategic guidance and expert input to policy proposals to speed up infrastructure delivery.

• Providing guidance and advice to officials to ensure that barriers to infrastructure delivery are identified accurately and represent the most impactful barriers impeding timely and effective delivery.

• Providing guidance and advice on the development of a small number of high impact reform actions that are robust, achievable, time-bound and are rigorously focused on addressing the challenges identified. These reform actions will be brought to Government for approval.

• Overseeing the subsequent implementation of these reform actions (supported by the Department's Infrastructure Division) through challenge meetings with the Departments and Agencies responsible for implementation.

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The Minister has appointed 12 members of the new Taskforce: Six independent experts, experienced in infrastructure delivery, combined with six ex-officio members, taken from those commercial semi-states at the frontline of infrastructure development and the local Government sector.

Members include: Mr Sean O'Driscoll – Chairman of the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and former Chairman and Chief Executive of the Glen Dimplex Group; Ms Mary Hughes – Chartered Town Planner with in excess of 25 years experience; Ms Michele Connelly – Former partner in KPMG and Head of Global Infrastructure; Mr Feargal O’Rourke – Chairman of IDA Ireland; Mr. Eamon Booth – Former MD of John Paul Construction; and Ms Imelda Mannion – Former Jacobs VP for Global Programme Management.

Discussing the Taskforce, Minister Chambers said: "This taskforce is a critical component of the Government's infrastructure reform agenda. It will ensure that my Department's work programme is rigorously focused on tackling the most important barriers to the delivery of critical economic infrastructure.

"This critical infrastructure - water, electricity and transport - underpins and is necessary to achieve all of the social and economic goals we share, as well as supporting economic growth and enhancing our domestic and international competitiveness. If we are to build a society that can meet our ambitious goals we simply must get better at how we build and deliver cost effective, value for money infrastructure.

"The Taskforce will play a critical role in advising Government on how we can achieve this by identifying these key barriers impeding progress, and how we can overcome them to unlock infrastructure delivery."

The Taskforce builds on the announcement last month that a new Infrastructure Division has been established in the Department of Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform. This new Division includes infrastructure experts redeployed from key delivery agencies, such as ESB Networks, EirGrid, Uisce Eireann, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and An Bord Pleanála. These officials will work with officials in the Department, bringing their experience and expertise to develop impactful policies that improve the speed and efficiency of critical infrastructure delivery.