Infrastructure will be central to the energy transition and climate adaptation. In our opening session, Michele explains how we need to change (and improve) the way we plan, fund, develop and operate our infrastructure in order to achieve our goals.  

With population growth exceeding expectations and targets on greenhouse gas emissions looking very challenging, have we underestimated what infrastructure investment is needed for the country? With our economy at near full employment, how do we manage the need for investment and the constraints on its delivery?

Delivery of NDP projects have been adversely impacted over the past 3 years as a result of pauses due to the pandemic, the inflationary impacts from both COVID and the war in Ukraine and the follow-on impacts on the supply chain. 

The highs and lows of the global economy have created a new set of challenges and opportunities for the delivery of infrastructure.

With infrastructure projects remaining key to economic recovery and growth, it is critical that delivery is prioritised whilst value for money is achieved. So where are we now in terms of delivery? 

This panel will discuss: 

• The impact of rising interest rates and inflationary costs have on infrastructure investment and delivery
• How can industry, investors and government work together to ensure optimum delivery outcomes?
• What are the key roadblocks for effective delivery and how can we overcome these?
• How can we ensure the NDP delivery aligns to regional development objectives and what areas of infrastructure are a priority to ensure regional economic benefit? 

Powering Up Dublin programme and critical water infrastructure for our expanding capital city

• Policy and regulatory updates: What you need to know
• How can policy be better aligned with practice?
• What are the blockages and challenges to delivery that need to be addressed?
• How can government support industry and future infrastructure?
• What can the industry do to address current workforce constraints?
• Speeding up the process – how will reforms affect major projects? How can we feasibly speed up the planning process?

Within infrastructure planning and development, there lies a massive opportunity to achieve climate targets and sustainability goals. From reimagining how we consume energy and what source of energy we use within every asset class, to building wind farms to generate clean energy to power our assets. But with this opportunity come many challenges such as how to get such a major shift in how we think about our systems right.

This panel will discuss the new and innovative models we are seeing globally that will better connect our infrastructure and climate goals.

Areas of focus include: 

• Sustainable transport/Electric mobility
• The energy system – what do we need from the grid?
• Cycling & Greenways programme
• Renewables (Solar and wind energy infrastructure)
• Sustainable construction and energy efficient homes

• The opportunities and challenges involved in delivering sustainable infrastructure How do we develop resilient infrastructure to minimise climate change exposure risks?
• Leveraging innovation to build future-proof infrastructure
• Funding sustainable and resilient infrastructure: The implications for the public finances

This session will explore:

• How TfL are aligning transport to growth and demand for housing and other key infrastructure
• How investment in transport can feed into and enable ‘The London Plan’
• What can Ireland learn from the TfL journey?

Investing in strong strategic spatial planning is not only a key but arguably the factor in ensuring the delivery of the critical infrastructure. We have seen the positive results of effective master-planning, mapping out key development milestones in action.

In this session we will explore how careful evaluation, robust stakeholder engagement and a clearly defined strategic spatial plan can lead to the successful delivery of the critical infrastructure we all depend on.

• Achieving optimum long term project outcomes through effective planning and governance
• Ensuring return on public investment and attracting private investors through good governance 
• Aligning the planning and procurement process to the climate goals of infrastructure delivery

With over 30 years’ experience in financing and delivering projects across a wide range of sectors, Julia Prescot has become a trusted adviser to Government and industry. She shares her insights on addressing long-term infrastructure challenges.

This session will focus on:

• How taxation can address the growing width, height and emissions of private passenger vehicles, particularly SUVs 
• How a national per-kilometre truck toll, with a 75% reduction for zero emission (electric and hydrogen) vehicles, can clean up road freight  
• Highlighting the developments on the above issues from across the EU and explore potential application in Ireland

As Ireland continues down the path towards net zero, more and more electric charging points will be central to achieving that goal. Where are we on our EV charging network plan? What are the obstacles we need to overcome?

This spotlight will explore the Uisce Éireann Capital Investment Plan, how this aligns to the NDP and enables other infrastructure development projects. We will learn about a series of key projects such as Cork Lower Harbour, Arklow, Athlone and Ringsend.

This session will discuss the: 

• Irish Rail Capital Investment programme and projects
• Planning and modeling for regional transport hubs
• New climate challenge we face and how we are tackling this through the East Coast infrastructure protection programme

Ireland’s future-focused economy is being held back by significant deficits in our physical public infrastructure. 

• Identifying the infrastructure needed to support surging population growth
• What are the top 3 infrastructure priorities Ireland should focus on to meet the demands of surging population growth
• How can we leverage technology such as AI and data analytics to optimise infrastructure operations and improve the overall performance of critical infrastructure networks?