Welcome to the latest public affairs digest from the ACEI (covering April 2026).
The ACEI Secretariat was again busy this month on the stakeholder engagement front meeting with;
- 2 Contracting Authorities
- 1 Departmental Meeting
- 1 TD
- 1 Meeting of CIC Group
Political Backdrop:
International events in Iran continue to hold centre stage as the Accelerating Infrastructure Bill progresses through the Oireachtas. It is worth noting that as we move towards May/June the indicator from ProgressIreland is that more of the Government’s actions are slipping into the ‘Overdue’ section of their tracker. Though still very early, this points to some initial friction between government ambition and implementation. The tracker can be viewed here https://infrastructuretaskforce.org/
Current Tracker Progress on Government Actions
As highlighted at our Member’s only webinar on May 5th, the government is resisting any introduction of NCCs at present and the HFA remains unwilling to adopt different contractual terms. What is working is you the member fighting for NCCs on contracts. This changes government perception on what is considered ‘standard’ industry practice and increases the likelihood of movement on public sector work. Keep working together and demand these contractual arrangements where possible. We are working with the RIAI and others to have their members demand NCCs as well. We are also working with TDs to form Parliamentary Questions which will ensure the Government lays out its position on the record.
Key priorities for the sector and ACEI remain:
- Issues around collateral warranty extension within contracts from state-funded bodies.
- Introduction of more flexible contract types (to include NCCs)
- Median pricing on government procurement
ACEI Political Engagement:
2 April: OPW Flood Relief Engagement
21 April: Meeting with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
22 April: Meeting with Joe Neville TD (Infrastructure Committee)
22 April: Meeting between ACEI, Dept. of Education and Youth and other design bodies; RIAI and SCSI.
27 April: Meeting with OPW.
28 April: Meeting of the Irish Inter Professional Association (IIPA).
29 April: Department of Education and Youth Information Session
Remember: the ACEI will represent you directly with clients if and when issues arise. Contact Shane or Dónal, we can help.
Welcome to the latest public affairs digest from the ACEI (covering March 2026).
We’ve been busy again with 6 political engagements including;
- 1 Minister
- 2 TDs
- 2 Special Advisors and
- 1 Contracting Authority
Political Backdrop:
International events in Iran look soon to impact the Irish energy market with guidance from Government expected to conserve energy in the coming period. This puts into sharp focus Ireland’s continuing need to upgrade renewable infrastructure in the years ahead to expand our capacity to meet national demand from native sources. At national level, items are beginning to move onto the books to progress actions from the Accelerating Infrastructure taskforce. Progress across each of its actions can be followed here https://infrastructuretaskforce.org/
Despite our importance to delivery the government is resisting any introduction of NCCs at present and the HFA remains intransigent in adopting fairer contractual terms. What is working is you the member fighting for NCCs on contracts. This changes government perception on what is considered ‘standard’ industry practice and increases the likelihood of movement on public sector work. Keep working together and demand these contractual arrangements where possible. We are working with the RIAI and others to have their members demand NCCs as well.
Key priorities for the sector and ACEI remain:
- Introduction of more flexible contract types (to include NCCs)
- Median pricing on government procurement
- Issues around collateral warranty extension within contracts from state-funded bodies.
ACEI Political Engagement:
3 March: Secretariat work with TDs to answer and give guidance on Parliamentary Questions submitted to the Department for Infrastructure
3 March: Meeting in Merrion Hotel with Darragh Gallagher, Special Advisor to Minister Dara Calleary (Fianna Fáil)
5 March: Meeting with Harry Fay, former assistant to Paula Butterly (Fine Gael).
12 March: ACEI leaders meet with former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney on government engagement policy
19 March: Meeting with Conor Sheehan TD (Labour) *Rescheduled
19 March: Meeting with OPW on Flood Relief
24 March: Meeting with the Department of Education
25 March: Meeting with Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fáil)
26 March: Meeting with Deputy John Clendennen (Fine Gael)
Remember: the ACEI will represent you directly with clients if and when issues arise. Contact us, we can help.
Welcome to the latest public affairs digest from the ACEI (covering February 2026).
We’ve been busy this month engaging in meetings with;
- 7 Political Engagements including
- 6 Ministers or Ministers of State and
- 1 State-funded body
Political Backdrop:
The Accelerating Infrastructure Report remains the main show in town. When the report was first launched, it received much acclaim across the built environment sector with the only question mark remaining over its deliverability. ProgressIreland has an ‘Infrastructure Tracker’ monitoring progress across each of the key themes within the report and to-date its tracker notes two strands already ‘Overdue’ with 19 others ‘In Progress’. As things stand none of the key policies are marked ‘Complete’. Though still in very early stages, we now need to see those key strands turn ‘green’ and real progress made. That tracker can be viewed here https://infrastructuretaskforce.org/.
Despite our importance to delivery the government is resisting any introduction of NCCs at present and the HFA remains intransigent in adopting fairer contractual terms. What is working is you the member fighting for NCCs on contracts. This changes government perception on what is considered ‘standard’ industry practice and increases the likelihood of movement on public sector work. Keep working together and demand these contractual arrangements where possible. We are working with the RIAI and others to have their members demand NCCs as well.
Key priorities for the sector and ACEI remain:
- Introduction of more flexible contract types (to include NCCs)
- Median pricing on government procurement
- Issues around collateral warranty extension within contracts from state-funded bodies.
Media appearances:
11 February: Ahead of our Limerick Regional Event, President Tim Murnane featured in the
Limerick Leader.
26 February: Director General, Shane Dempsey was featured in the
Irish Examiner.
ACEI Political Engagement:
4 February: Meeting in Leinster House with Minister of State, Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
12 February: Meeting in Leinster House with Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fáil)
14 February: Meeting in Leinster House with Leader of the Green Party, Roderic O’ Gorman (Greens)
18 February: Meeting in Leinster House with Minister Michael Moynihan (Fianna Fáil)
24 February: Meeting with Minister of State at Dept of Transport, Sean Canney (Independent)
24 February: Meeting with delegation from the HFA
25 February: Meeting with Minister of State for Procurement, Frank Feighan (Fine Gael)
25 February: Meeting in Leinster House with Housing Minister, James Browne (Fianna Fáil)
Remember: the ACEI will represent you directly with clients if and when issues arise. Contact us, we can help.
Welcome to the latest ACEI public affairs digest from the ACEI (covering December 2025 and January 2026).
Since the most recent newsletter ACEI has continued momentum in the political space advocating for key policy changes and helping shape infrastructure delivery across the island. In 2026, already there has been;
- 12 Political Engagements
- 4 Ministers and
- 2 Special Advisors
Political Backdrop:
Since the last Public Affairs Digest, the government has launched the Accelerating Infrastructure Action Plan which will set the tone for infrastructure delivery in Ireland for the foreseeable future. Though widely celebrated for its ambition there remains important detail to be ironed out in between the lines of the 30-point Action Plan. For example, Action 25 within the Report speaks positively but vaguely on the introduction of new contract types for the sector. This is something we have advocated heavily for and should be recognised as a good result for the work undertaken in this area and it is within the aforementioned spaces that political engagement can help clarify industry concerns and deliver results for members.
Key priorities for the sector and ACEI remain:
- Introduction of more flexible contract types (to include NCCs)
- Median pricing on government procurement
- Collateral warranties
Media appearances:
3 December: Director General, Shane Dempsey in the
Irish Examiner on the Government’s Infrastructure Action Plan
5 December: Senior Policy Advisor, Dónal O’ Neill spoke with the
Irish Examiner on infrastructure delivery
22 December: Irish Times piece from
Director General, Shane Dempsey on need to embrace risk to speed up delivery of key infrastructure projects
12 January: Radio slot on WLR FM, speaking about recent challenges in delivery of key infrastructure.
17 January: In a piece for the
Irish Independent, Director General, Shane Dempsey lined out the key projects illustrating movement on infrastructure in 2026.
ACEI Political Engagement:
10 December: Meeting at the Department of Infrastructure with Kevin Meaney (Civil Service)
20 January: Meeting with Joanne Lonergan, Special Advisor to the Tánaiste, Simon Harris (Fine Gael).
21 January: Meeting in Leinster House with opposition spokesperson on housing, Eoin Ó Broin (Sinn Féin)
22 January: Meeting in Leinster House with member of the Oireachtas Infrastructure Committee, Reada Cronin (Sinn Féin)
26 January: Meeting in Offaly Constituency Office with member of the Oireachtas Infrastructure Committee, Tony McCormack (Fianna Fáil)
27 January: Meeting in Department of Climate, Energy and Environment with Minister Timmy Dooley and special advisors, Tom Tynan and David Phelan. (Fianna Fáil)
28 January: Meeting in Leinster House with Deputy Cian O’ Callaghan (Social Democrats)
28 January: Meeting in Leinster House with member of the Oireachtas Infrastructure Committee, Louis O’ Hara (Sinn Féin)
4 February: Meeting in Leinster House with Minister Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
9 February: Meeting in Leinster House with Leader of the Green Party, Roderic O’ Gorman (Greens)
18 February: Meeting in Leinster House with Minister Michael Moynihan (Fianna Fáil)
25 February: Meeting in Leinster House with Housing Minister, James Browne (Fianna Fáil)
Remember: the ACEI will represent you directly with clients if and when issues arise. Contact us, we can help.
Welcome to the latest ACEI public affairs digest from the ACEI. Since our last communique the Secretariat has been engaged heavily with political stakeholders across government parties and departments.
Political Backdrop:
Earlier this month we saw the publication of the Government’s new housing plan and in the first week of December we are expecting the long-awaited “Accelerating Infrastructure” Report from the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.
This report was originally due in November but at a recent Government briefing on housing, ACEI were informed by the Principal Officer of the Infrastructure Division, Kevin Meaney, that it will now be the first week of December.
Key priorities for the sector and ACEI:
- Introduction of more flexible contract types (to include NCCs)
- Median pricing on government procurement
- Collateral warranties
Media appearances:
21 November: Senior Policy Advisor, Dónal O’ Neill spoke with the
Irish Examiner on infrastructure delivery
24 November: Director General, Shane Dempsey spoke with
Newstalk Radio on infrastructure delays and barriers.
ACEI Political Engagement:
10 November: ACEI met with allies in the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) and the Royal Institute of Architects Ireland (RIAI) to agree on a joint response to the Department of Education on new contract terms.
13 November: ACEI attended a briefing in the Department of An Taoiseach on the new housing plan: “Delivering Homes, Building Communities: An Action Plan on Housing Supply and Targeting Homelessness.” At the briefing, ACEI spoke with government stakeholders on our ambition for the upcoming Infrastructure Report.
18 November: The Executive Committee met in Belfast to discuss the Association’s political engagement on infrastructure delivery and to hear the latest developments from our sub-Committees. Following the meeting, the team travelled to Parliament Buildings at Stormont where Deputy First Minister, Emma Little-Pengelly was presenting on the region’s major barriers to infrastructure delivery.
19-20 November: Director General, Shane Dempsey travelled to Copenhagen for the latest board meeting of the European Federation of Engineering Consultancy Associations (EFCA). Attached is its latest
‘Future Trends’ Reportwhich ACEI feed into and is as an example of the work EFCA does on key issues for consultancies across Europe.
25 November: Meeting with Helen Davidson, Chief Executive at the Association of Consulting Engineering, New Zealand. The meeting focused on the value of consulting and proportionate liability in the context of recent contractual developments in New Zealand.
26 November: Meeting with Deputy Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fáil, Wexford) on the major challenges facing the industry.
If you are interested in any more information on these or any other topics, please revert to Shane or Dónal.
Remember: the ACEI will represent you directly with clients if and when issues arise. Contact us, we can help.
