Menu

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.

Welcome to the ACEI public affairs digest for November 7.

Political Backdrop

This month the “Accelerating Infrastructure” Report will be launched, with solutions to infrastructure delivery delays expected.

See Irish Times article from 4 November which reports that timelines for big projects could be cut by up to a year: here

The ACEI met with members of the Taskforce developing the report and it appears that contracting authorities will be allowed to bring forward more projects to design phase and that they may have leeway to adopt proportionate liability and other contractual measures more favourable to consulting engineers.

Political Engagement

29 October: ACEI met with Richard Temple, CEO of Engineering New Zealand to understand more about the recent decision by the New Zealand Parliament to extend proportionate liability principles into private residential contracts

30 October: ACEI sent correspondence to the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform & Digitalisation, Jack Chambers, Secretary General of the Department, David Maloney and Deputy Secretary General Colin Menton on issues including NCCs.  A PDF version of the letter can be read here

31 October: Parliamentary Questions were sent to relevant political stakeholders in the Oireachtas – seeking answers to things like median pricing, NCCs and budget constraints for contracting authorities.

3 November: Meeting arranged with Architect and Surveyor stakeholders regarding recent changes to the Department of Education’s conditions.

5 November: ACEI attended the Construction Industry Council meeting with leaders across the sector where DG ensured that NCCs and other ACEI issues were included in the council’s list of priorities.

6 November: Uisce Eireann gave evidence before the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee (PAC). ACEI were involved with helping brief members of the PAC in their understanding of the issues faced by consulting engineers in some of their work.

6 November: DG, Shane Dempsey is interviewed by the Business Post about Ireland’s past, present and future infrastructure delivery ambitions. You can read the full article here

If you are interested in any more information on these or any other topics, please revert to Shane Dempsey, DG or Dónal O’ Neill, Senior Policy.

Remember: the ACEI will represent you directly with clients if and when issues arise.  Contact us, we can help.