Byrne Wallace Shields LLP Annual Convention calls for legislative and regulatory reform and cultural alignment to ensure infrastructure projects are delivered for the common good

The need to accelerate the modernisation and expansion of Ireland’s utilities infrastructure to support projected population growth, economic and housing demands; the limitations of the current public procurement process on the efficient, timely, and cost-effective delivery of large-scale infrastructure projects; and the continued need to attract an increased level of institutional /private/non-State investment to help drive housing development in Ireland, were the key focus of discussions at this year’s Byrne Wallace Shields LLP Property Investment and Infrastructure Convention.  The event was hosted in association with Property Industry Ireland in the Aviva on Thursday, 25 September 2025.

Guest of honour Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Jack Chambers T.D. opened the convention, and outlined an unprecedented scale of ambition within the Government for development of infrastructure, but acknowledged that delivery requires reform as well as expenditure. The Minister commented:  

“This annual conference is a unique forum, bringing together leaders from a range of crucial sectors. It is an opportunity to reflect not just on the challenges but the opportunities facing Ireland’s property investment market and the delivery of critical infrastructure.

“The scale of ambition in Ireland’s infrastructure agenda, outlined in the revised €275bn National Development Plan, is unprecedented, and it is matched by a desire to reform our delivery systems to urgently address the needs of our people before us – in housing, utilities including water and energy, and the broader built environment. I was pleased to be able to update conference attendees on Government plans in this area ahead of Budget 2026.”

Goodbody’s Chief Economist Dermot O’Leary presented the challenges and opportunities for Ireland in the current international economic environment before focusing on the impact on delivery of infrastructure. He stated that Ireland needs a decade of delivery to close the infrastructure gap compared to peer countries.  While he welcomed the NDP five-year spending plan, he also pointed to the need to find solutions to blockages such as planning, land availability, costs/viability and finance.

Then followed three panel discussions, individually moderated by Byrne Wallace Shields LLP partners Michael Walsh, Chair of Property and the Convention MC; Martin Cooney, Head of Infrastructure, Construction and Energy, and Fergal Ruane, Head of  Projects and Infrastructure, debating the key issues and opportunities with industry experts: 

• Property Investment: focused on the need to find a healthy balance between public and private funding, with panellists advocating for a partnership between the State, policy makers, the private sector and capital providers. A wide range of solutions were explored, with reference to international examples of innovation including in the sphere of urban regeneration; 
• Infrastructure – Utilities and Energy: provided insights into the roadblocks currently delaying major and essential infrastructure projects required for our national utilities and the knock-on impact on housing delivery and consumers, with planning and judicial reviews most frequently cited as driving delays; and 
• Infrastructure – procurement / getting things done: discussed the challenges of project procurement and how Ireland compares against our European neighbours. Ecosystem capacity issues, lack of multi-year funding and once again planning and judicial reviews were identified as key issues. Proposed solutions debated included special purpose legislation for large projects.

Commenting on the Convention, Michael Walsh said:

“A key theme from each panel discussion is the need to rebalance interests, so that housing and infrastructure projects can be delivered for the common good. Within the backdrop of the scars of the global economic recession, risk aversion in the built environment ecosystem has led to an element of paralysis, often to the detriment of progress and the furtherance of the national interest. In the context of hyper construction cost inflation, the ‘standards paradox’ has contributed to the viability gap - begging the question as to whether we can afford to maintain building standards that “we can’t afford”, especially in an environment where money is more expensive in a higher interest rate environment. Policy stabilization was also a common theme and sense that, for example, in the sphere of the Rent Pressure Zones, the buyer market may not respond to announcement heralding reform until those reforms have been enacted by the legislature.”

Director of Property Industry Ireland, David Howard added:

“Property Industry Ireland is delighted to support the Byrne Wallace Shields LLP Property Investment and Infrastructure Convention. Delivery of both strategic and enabling infrastructure is key to meeting Ireland’s housing targets and support our competitiveness. Sufficient multi-annual funding is essential to allow for the unlocking of sites capable of delivering houses.”

Now in its fourth year, the Byrne Wallace Shields LLP Annual Built Environment Convention brings together key industry and thought leaders and expert representatives from both private and public sectors to discuss the current and future aspects of Ireland’s property investment market and infrastructure delivery challenges and opportunities.

Industry leaders providing insights at this year’s panel discussions included:

• Senator Michael McDowell SC, Independent member of Seanad Eireann
• Deirdre Hayes, Head of Property Fund Management, Irish Life Investment Managers
• Sarah Hickey, Senior Investment Director - Head of Real Assets, ISIF
• Colin Richardson, Director, Head of Research, CBRE Ireland
• Ronan Columb, Group Managing Director, Castlethorn 
• Peter Lynch, CEO, FuturEnergy Ireland
• Brian Tapley, Head Of Customer & Project Delivery South, ESB Networks
• Olwyn James, Senior Planning, Land and Utilities Manager, Uisce Eireann
• John Reilly, Head of Renewable Energy, Bord Na Móna
• Alice Charles, Director - Cities, Planning & Design, Arup
• Diarmaid Kehoe, Head of European Investment Bank Group Office for Ireland
• Dejan Makovsek, PhD, Procurement Strategy Lead – Major Projects, Infrastructure and Public Procurement Division, Public Governance Directorate, OECD

Pictured L:R – Diarmaid Kehoe, Head of European Investment Bank Group Office for Ireland; John Reilly, Head of Renewable Energy, Bord Na Móna; Brian Tapley, Head Of Customer & Project Delivery South, ESB Networks; Olwyn James, Senior Planning, Land and Utilities Manager, Uisce Eireann; Dejan Makovsek, PhD, Procurement Strategy Lead – Major Projects, Infrastructure and Public Procurement Division, Public Governance Directorate, OECD; Alice Charles, Director - Cities, Planning & Design, Arup; Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Jack Chambers T.D.;  Michael Walsh, Chair of Property Byrne Wallace Shields LLP; Colin Richardson, Director, Head of Research, CBRE Ireland; Fergal Ruane, Head of Projects and Infrastructure, Byrne Wallace Shields LLP; Peter Lynch, CEO, FuturEnergy Ireland; Sarah Hickey, Senior Investment Director - Head of Real Assets, ISIF;  Martin Cooney, Head of Infrastructure, Construction and Energy, Byrne Wallace Shields LLP; Dermot O'Leary, Chief Economist, Goodbody; Deirdre Hayes, Head of Property Fund Management, Irish Life Investment Managers; Ronan Columb, Group Managing Director, Castlethorn.