The Irish Planning Institute, the all-island membership organisation for professional planners, is calling for a list of core infrastructure projects that are of national economic importance to be defined, in order to give consenting bodies and planning authorities a mandate to prioritise.

Speaking ahead of the 2025 Autumn Planning Conference, Gavin Lawlor, President of the Irish Planning Institute, said the planning sector is ready to play its part in the delivery of vital infrastructure for Ireland, but warned that the overall consenting processes for large projects has become overly complex and litigious.

Lawlor welcomed the establishment of the government’s ‘Accelerating Infrastructure Taskforce’ earlier this year, but once more reiterated the need for a properly resourced planning system if complex infrastructure projects are to move through the consenting process in a timely manner.

“Strategic infrastructure delivery is rightfully a key priority of the Irish government as the economy currently faces some significant challenges in terms of transport, energy, water and wastewater capacity. Members of the Irish Planning Institute recognise this deficit and are ready to play their part in ensuring the successful delivery of infrastructure projects of national economic, social and environmental importance which facilitate sustainable development.

“However, it’s important to recognise that the consenting process for large infrastructure projects in this country has become far too complex and is mired in litigation. This does not benefit communities, developers or indeed planners. To start improving the consenting process for large projects, the Irish Planning Institute is calling on the state to identify a list of core infrastructure projects that are of strategic national economic, social and environmental importance. This alone will provide consenting bodies with a mandate to prioritise these projects through the system and give greater certainty to communities around the country about what is considered essential to the future sustainability of Ireland

“At the same time, we need to see greater joined up thinking between government, state agencies and the private sector on infrastructure delivery and land use. This is something planners and the planning system can facilitate. Planners are ready to contribute to the government’s long-term strategic planning that is focussed on the delivery of core economic, social and environmental infrastructure.”

The 2025 Autumn Planning Conference, which is taking place in the Gibson Hotel in Dublin on Thursday 02^nd October, will focus on the theme of Delivery and Reform in relation to large infrastructure projects.

The conference will hear from keynote addresses from John Cummins TD, Minister of State for Local Government and Planning, John Moran, Mayor of Limerick City, Laura Brien, CEO of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA), as well as experts from across the policy, legal and planning sectors.