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Beale & Co welcomes Jeremy Curran as Construction Partner in Dublin. 

Beale & Co is pleased to announce the appointment of Jeremy Curran as a Partner in the Firm’s Construction, Engineering and Infrastructure team in Dublin.

Jeremy joins from global law firm DLA Piper and brings over 20 years’ experience advising on construction matters across the residential, commercial, industrials, life sciences, infrastructure, and energy sectors.

He becomes part of the Firm’s leading Contracts and Projects Advisory team, where he will advise clients on all front-end project matters, including contract reviews and tender checks; contract formation and project procurement; tender procedures and competitions; negotiation and conclusion of contract documents; joint venturing and contractual entitlement; project variations; and dispute avoidance.

Originally qualified as a civil engineer, Jeremy has lived and worked in Australia, the Far East, the Middle East and Europe. He is admitted to practice in Ireland, England & Wales, and New South Wales (Australia).

Jeremy’s client base has included contractors, consultants, developers, investors, funders, non-bank lenders and end-users across multiple jurisdictions. In addition to his time in private practice, Jeremy has spent nine years as in-house counsel for a Dubai-based multinational, advising on both contentious and non-contentious construction matters.

Commenting on the appointment, Killian Dorney, Construction Partner and Head of the Firm’s Dublin office, said:

“We are very pleased to welcome Jeremy to the Partnership. His significant industry experience will be a huge benefit to our clients, the Dublin office and our wider Contracts and Projects Advisory team. With Jeremy’s support, we look forward to strengthening our position as a leading construction practice in Ireland and internationally.”

Jeremy added:

“I am excited to be joining Beale & Co and continuing my career at such an esteemed specialist firm. I look forward to working with colleagues across the Firm and contributing to its longstanding reputation in the construction, engineering and infrastructure sector.

Jeremy’s arrival further enhances Beale & Co’s position as a leading specialist firm for complex construction and infrastructure matters in the UK, Ireland, the UAE, Canada and globally.

To learn more about Jeremy, click here.

2026 ACEI Engineering Excellence Awards

Above: President Tim Murnane addresses attendees at Friday night’s award ceremony in Dublin
On Friday 27 March, we crowned new winners of the ACEI 2026 Engineering Excellence Awards.

In a packed-out Intercontinental Hotel, President Tim Murnane presented awards to each of the category winners as well as two special awards to Michael Moriarty, for a lifetime contribution to the sector, and Seán O’ Driscoll, for his recent work in the Accelerating Infrastructure Taskforce.

Over 400 people gathered to celebrate the achievements of our industry ahead of a period where consulting engineers will lead the way on infrastructure delivery in Ireland.

Congratulations to all our winners and to the fantastic projects which were shortlisted alongside them. ACEI would like to sincerely thank Richard Crowe and his supporting judges Anne Marie Conibear and John Purcell for all their thorough review of the project nominations to arrive at a shortlist and decide on the award winners.

Your 2026 ACEI Engineering Excellence Award Winning Projects are:

2026 Project of the Year: UCD O’Connor Centre ​for Learning (CFL) at University College Dublin submitted by Arup

Civil (Small): George’s Dock Luas Bridge Replacement by Roughan & O’Donovan Consulting Engineers

Civil (Medium): Marina Park and Promenade by O’Connor Sutton Cronin 

Civil (Large): Project Roadrunner (Dexcom – Athenry), by Clifton Scannell Emerson Associates

Structural (Small): 180–187 Townsend Street, Dublin 2 with structural design by DBFL Consulting Engineers

Structural (Medium): Beamish and Crawford Bridges, Cork, with structural design by Arup

Structural (Large): The Treasury Building, Lower Grand Canal Street, Dublin 2 with structural design by CORA Consulting Engineers

M&E (Small): Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown Centralised Standby Power Supply Control System Project submitted by Varming Consulting Engineers

M&E (Medium): National High-Level Isolation Unit (NHLIU) Project at the Mater Hospital Dublin (MMUH) submitted by J V Tierney Consulting Engineers

M&E (Large): UCD O’Connor Centre ​for Learning (CFL) at University College Dublin submitted by Arup

Sustainability Built Environment (Small): 180 – 187 Townsend Street for the Peter McVerry Trust by DBFL Consulting Engineers 

Sustainability Built Environment (Medium): Student Services Building, at the University of Limerick, by Don O’Malley and Partners Limited

Sustainability Built Environment (Large): The Treasury Building by CORA Consulting Engineers

Sustainability Natural Environment: Marina Park Promenade by O’Connor Sutton Cronin

Project Management (Small/Medium): Dublin Airport Authority Solar Farm by Nicholas O’Dwyer Ltd.

Project Management (Large): Killaloe Bypass, Brian Boru Bridge & R494 Improvement Scheme for Clare County Council by RPS Consulting Engineers

SME Category: The Shackleton Museum, Athy, Co. Kildare with structural, civil and fire engineering design by McCrae Consulting Engineers

Innovation (Small/Medium): Dublin Tunnel Tolling System Replacement Project by Arup

Innovation (Large): College Square by Waterman Moylan

Overseas: The Eades in Walthamstow, London, by Barrett Mahony Consulting Engineers

 

 

 

 

Celebrating the Future of Engineering Excellence
We’re thrilled to announce the four incredible finalists for this year’s ACEI Future Leaders’ Competition! These incredible young professionals, judged on innovation, leadership and excellence, are set to shape the future of our industry as Ireland seeks to deliver on its infrastructural promise.

🏆 Meet the Finalists:
Niall O’Brien of Egis
Aisling Hahessy of Arup
Andries (Andy) Kotze of Donnachadh O’Brien & Associates and
Mumo M Bonaya of Mott MacDonald

A huge congratulations to our four finalists! 👏👏

The winner will be revealed on March 27th at the ACEI Annual Awards 2026 – celebrating the very best in consulting engineering.

📅 Date: March 27, 2026
📍 Location: Intercontinental Hotel, Ballsbridge
🕖 Time: 7:00 PM

 

We are delighted to announce the shortlist of projects for the 2026 Engineering Excellence Awards. There was a record number of entries this year, thanks to all firms who entered.

Congratulations to all of the shortlisted firms and projects, which can be seen here.

The presentation of the awards takes place at the Gala Dinner on Friday 27th March in the Intercontinental Hotel, Dublin 4.  Tickets are selling fast! So don’t miss out – book your table today!

We look forward to welcoming ACEI members and guests on the night.
We are pleased to announce that the application process is now open for the ACEI Engineering Excellence Awards 2026 – Closing date has been extended to 23 January 2026
The full list of categories is provided below, and all engineering disciplines can apply as appropriate:
1) Civil
2) Structural
3) Mechanical & Electrical
4) Sustainability Built Environment
5) Sustainability Natural Environment
6) SME firm (up to 20 employees)
7) Project Management
8) Innovation
9) Overseas

Note: Applicants are required to review and familiarise themselves with the 2026 Awards Procedures before submitting nominations to ensure they have entered into the most appropriate categories.  The same project can be entered into multiple categories (eg Civil, SME & Innovation) however a separate application should be made for each project being submitted for consideration in more than one award category.

Closing date for receipt of project nominations: Friday 23 January 2026.

The shortlisted projects will be announced during Spring 2026.

We look forward to receiving many nominations for the 2026 Awards and applications are welcome for all project sizes, small, medium and large from all member firms.

** We particularly encourage nominations from SME firms (up to 20 employees) for all categories.
Save the Date in your Diary Now!

The 2026 Awards Dinner will take place on the 27th March at the Intercontinental Hotel, Dublin 4.  Bookings will open in January 2026.

If you have any queries, please contact Louise at louise.patterson@acei.ie 

We are pleased to announce that the application process is now open for the ACEI Derrick Edge Future Leader Award 2026

Award Criteria

The 2026 ACEI Derrick Edge Future Leader award will be presented to a consulting engineer with excellent communication skills, business acumen, technical capabilities and strong ethical values. The award competition is a great opportunity to showcase your experience to date, add value to your credentials and be publicly recognised as a rising talent by the senior leaders in your profession.
Candidates are required to submit a written application including:

  • A description of the qualities and skills you believe you possess that meet the criteria of an ACEI Future Leader (max 400 words);
  • An outline of the main challenges currently facing the consulting engineering profession in Ireland and how you think they could / should be addressed and the role that ACEI could play in this context. (max 600 words);
  • A description of a project in which you played a key consulting engineering role. Demonstrate clearly how you met the client’s brief and brought excellence in design, innovation, sustainability, health and safety and value for money to the project (max 1200 words). Photos / images can also be included.
Entries should also include up to two other pages containing the following information:

  • Full name and date of birth of applicant;
  • Name of ACEI member company;
  • Qualifications obtained to date and CPD courses undertaken;
  • Brief career history including dates, company name(s) and position(s) held;
  • Professional memberships and voluntary committee / organisation activities;
  • Signature and supporting statement (max 200 words) from an ACEI Fellow (FConsEI)
To qualify for the competition applicants must satisfy the following criteria:

  • Be a Chartered Engineer;
  • Be 35 years of age or under on 31st March 2026;
  • Have four or more years relevant experience;
  • Be employed in an ACEI member company;
  • Be supported by an ACEI Fellow Professional Consulting Engineer (FConsEI).
Future Leader 2026 Applications collated in one pdf document should be sent by email to: louise.patterson@acei.ie not later than 5pm on Friday 23rd January 2026
The ACEI will set up an adjudicating panel to assess the applications and may chose a shortlist of up to five candidates. The short-listed candidates will need to make themselves available to undertake an interview with the panel in early February 2026 where two or three finalists will be selected. The finalists will be invited to submit their entry to the EFCA Future Leaders Award. The overall ACEI winner will be formally announced at the ACEI Annual Awards Dinner on 27th March in the Intercontinental Hotel, Dublin 4.

We are pleased to announce that the application process is now open for the ACEI Engineering Excellence Awards 2026 – Closing date has been extended to 23 January 2026
The full list of categories is provided below, and all engineering disciplines can apply as appropriate:
1) Civil
2) Structural
3) Mechanical & Electrical
4) Sustainability Built Environment
5) Sustainability Natural Environment
6) SME firm (up to 20 employees)
7) Project Management
8) Innovation
9) Overseas

Note: Applicants are required to review and familiarise themselves with the 2026 Awards Procedures before submitting nominations to ensure they have entered into the most appropriate categories.  The same project can be entered into multiple categories (eg Civil, SME & Innovation) however a separate application should be made for each project being submitted for consideration in more than one award category.

Closing date for receipt of project nominations: Friday 23 January 2026.

The shortlisted projects will be announced during Spring 2026.

We look forward to receiving many nominations for the 2026 Awards and applications are welcome for all project sizes, small, medium and large from all member firms.

** We particularly encourage nominations from SME firms (up to 20 employees) for all categories.
Save the Date in your Diary Now!

The 2026 Awards Dinner will take place on the 27th March at the Intercontinental Hotel, Dublin 4.  Bookings will open in January 2026.

If you have any queries, please contact Louise at louise.patterson@acei.ie 
Commenting on the 2026 Budget Director General Shane Dempsey said:
“We welcome the Government’s infrastructure ambition, but today’s Budget must now be coupled with a bonfire of the redtape that is strangling housing and infrastructure delivery.  Without this, a large proportion of the €116bn announced for infrastructure will evaporate due to delays, judicial reviews, and legal disputes.
We need to see — in full — the forthcoming report on removing barriers to infrastructure delivery in the regulatory system, and we must quickly move to put its recommendations into practice. The real test will be in how that report is deployed not the figures mentioned today.
In particular, reform of public sector procurement and tendering is essential.  Precluding the selection of the lowest bid and focussing on quality in public procurement will see better delivery, less delays and better turns across the lifeycle of projects.
Better contracting models, fairer risk sharing, earlier engagement between public clients and engineering firms, will see less of today’s investment diverted to legal issues and disputes.
The engineering sector stands ready to help design, deliver and maintain Ireland’s critical infrastructure — but Government policy must focus now on ensuring that funding commitments translate into delivered projects on the ground.”
To support this, ACEI calls on Government to:
  1. Make the ministerial report public immediately, including draft timelines for implementation and sectoral impact assessments.
  2. Embed procurement reform as a core component of delivery acceleration — including reducing overly burdensome procurement cycles, limiting repeated rounds of retendering, and ensuring transparent risk allocation.
  3. Lock in statutory or administrative timelines for decision-making across planning, environmental, grid and statutory approvals, with clear accountability and sanctions for delays.
  4. Limit the scope of judicial review appeals in clearly designated strategic infrastructure projects, while preserving fair access to challenge in appropriate contexts.
  5. Provide certainty in multi-annual funding to support multi-year projects and avoid stop / start cycles in delivery capacity.
  6. Build delivery capacity in the public sector – more project management resources, specialist procurement units, and better coordination across ministries and State Agencies.

The Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland is delighted to welcome Tim Murnane, Managing Director at PUNCH Consulting Engineers, as our new President for 2025.

With a wealth of experience in structural and civil engineering and a deep commitment to excellence in consulting engineering, Tim brings strong leadership and insight to the role. His focus on innovation, collaboration, and sustainable infrastructure will guide ACEI’s continued work in championing our industry and supporting our members.

We look forward to working alongside Tim as we continue to advocate for consulting engineering and shape the future of the profession in Ireland.

Read Tim’s Presidential speech – Press release – Tim presidency – Copy

The ACEI Future Leader Award recognises a consulting engineer as a potential leader with excellent communication skills, business acumen, technical capabilities and strong ethical values.  ACEI congratulates the 2025 Derrick Edge Future Leader Award Winner Declan Haugh, DBFL Consulting engineers

Declan is pictured above receiving his Award from Anne Marie Conibear, ACEI President and Future Leader adjudicator John Purcell, at the ACEI Awards dinner on Friday 28th March.

Declan and his fellow Future Leader nominees Cian Long and Darragh Noble are entered into the EFCA 2025 Future Leader Award, which will be presented during the EFCA Conference on 16 May in Luxembourg.