Ireland ‘lagging’ behind other countries on infrastructure, watchdog says

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

Ireland “lags” behind other countries on health, housing, transport and electricity, the State’s economic watchdog has warned.

The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council said the Government needs to ensure that there are enough construction workers to deliver infrastructure projects.

It also calls for more productive infrastructure delivery and measures to ensure that planning and regulations do not needlessly block progress on infrastructure.

The council is holding its ninth conference on long-term public finance issues in Dublin on Thursday.

The aim of the meeting is to bring together national and international experts to explore how infrastructure can be delivered quickly and efficiently.

The council says that despite Ireland bringing public investment above the levels spent by its peers, this spending is “not reflected in the outcomes felt by many”.

It says there are benefits to growth from keeping investment in infrastructure at high and stable rates, adding that existing infrastructure deficits can be closed with a “steady, well-planned approach”.

However, it said raising spending without ensuring results “creates other problems”.

For example, it says housing shortages have pushed up rents and this has added to wage demands and business costs, making Ireland less competitive.

It has also called for external oversight in the early stages of infrastructure projects to avoid a lack of value for money.

Council chairman Seamus Coffey said: “There are many areas where Ireland can improve its infrastructure, including in health, transport, and energy. Ireland may not be stuck for resources right now.

“What we are stuck for is workers, with unemployment at record lows, and a strategy to deliver more effectively.”