Concerns Over Delays
Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers has warned that judicial reviews are increasingly being used to “weaponise” against the delivery of critical infrastructure, slowing projects that serve the wider public interest. Speaking on RTÉ’s This Week, Chambers said procedural challenges are escalating into lengthy court battles, frustrating communities and undermining national development goals.
Metrolink Dispute Highlights Tensions
The comments follow outrage over a last‑minute objection lodged by 20 residents in Ranelagh against the long‑awaited Metrolink project. Experts, including Paul Davis of DCU, estimate that if the judicial review proceeds, delays could range from 6–9 months in the best case to 2–4 years in the worst. Residents cited concerns over housing prices, construction noise, and congestion, while Chambers argued that such objections risk derailing projects of national importance.
Surge in Judicial Reviews
Figures presented by Fine Gael TD Colm Burke show a sharp rise in judicial reviews against planning authority An Coimisiún Pleanála, averaging 17 cases per month in 2025. In the past 18 months alone, 253 cases were filed, compared to fewer than 100 annually in the previous four years. Burke warned the surge is placing “significant strain” on Ireland’s planning system and urged Housing Minister James Browne to review its efficiency and integrity.
Other Projects Affected
Chambers pointed to the Greater Dublin Drainage Project, a regional wastewater facility first approved in 2019, which has faced repeated judicial reviews. Despite renewed planning permission in July 2025, a second challenge was lodged in September, leaving the project stalled.
Legislative Response
The Minister pledged to introduce a Critical Infrastructure Bill in 2026 to streamline approvals and reduce delays. He also signaled plans to explore emergency powers, pushing “to the edge of what’s legally and constitutionally possible” to rebalance rights and accelerate delivery. Chambers insisted that no residents’ association “should supersede the public good and the common good.”
Outlook
The debate underscores a growing clash between community concerns and national development priorities. As judicial reviews multiply, the government faces mounting pressure to safeguard democratic rights while ensuring that essential infrastructure projects — from transport to wastewater treatment — are not indefinitely stalled.
Jack Chambers Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation
