Framework for Action on - Department of Taoiseach

DEPARTMENT OF THE TAOISEACH 

FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION ON INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND PPPS 

FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION ON 

INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT, 

INCLUDING PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP 

This <strong>Framework</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Action</strong> was prepared <strong>for</strong> the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure and 

PPPs by a Cross-Departmental Team of Officials. It was approved by the cabinet Committee 

in September and subsequently by the Government. 

The key elements of the <strong>Framework</strong> have been included in the National Developments Plan 

2000-2006. 

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Key Recommendations 

(a) The core inter urban road infrastructure and Dublin transport package set out in paragraph 

7 and in Appendix I to be given top priority and <strong>for</strong>m an integral part of the NDP. Other 

outstanding transport and PPP decisions to be made by end of year. 

(b) The recommendations <strong>for</strong> improved programme and project delivery in appendices II and 

III to be endorsed by the Committee and implemented by the delivery agencies. 

(c) The PPP process to be resourced and accelerated 

(d) Larger scale road projects to be undertaken and construction capacity to be increased, 

including through encouragement of international competition. 

(e) The Planning Bill to be enacted by Easter 2000. 

(f) Rapid infrastructural development to be a key plank of any successor agreement to P2000. 

(g) A communications strategy to be put in place at a number of levels to mobilise public 

support <strong>for</strong> the accelerated infrastructure programme. 

(h) The Cabinet Committee to meet on an ongoing basis with Departmental officials and the 

Chief Executives of NRA and CIE to review progress on the key objectives at (a) above. 

(i) The team to prepare a scoping report by end of year on institutional, administrative, legal, 

communications and other infrastructural issues. Possible improvements and alternatives to 

judicial review including the need <strong>for</strong> any constitutional change to <strong>for</strong>m part of this report. 

Background 

1. The Government decision of 15 June 1999 established a Cabinet Committee on 

Infrastructural Development, including Public Private Partnership, to be chaired by the 

Taoiseach and to include the Tánaiste, the Minister <strong>for</strong> Finance, the Minister <strong>for</strong> Public 

Enterprise, the Minister <strong>for</strong> the Environment and Local Government and the Attorney General. 

2. The Government also decided that the secretariat to the Committee would be provided by a 

cross-departmental team, including the Departments of the Taoiseach; Enterprise; Trade and 

Employment; Finance; Environment and Local Government; Public Enterprise and the 

Attorney General's Office: The terms of reference of the team are to develop and oversee 

implementation of the framework <strong>for</strong> action, and in particular: 

a) deal with the planning approval issues to reduce the time taken, including 

by legislation and/or constitutional change, 

b) support the development and implementation of the Public/Private 

Partnership framework, and 

c) support the ongoing work of the Cabinet Committee; 

3. The team were mandated to propose a framework of action to the Cabinet Committee, by 

mid-September, together with implementation structures and timescale. 

4. The Cross Departmental Team has met on 5 occasions and has agreed the framework <strong>for</strong> 

action to be submitted to the Cabinet Committee. The framework is in 6 parts as follows: 

Section 1 identifies and seeks agreement to priority objectives 

Section 2 proposes a programme of action to support acceleration of overall 

programme and individual project delivery 

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Section 3 addresses bottlenecks and constraints, including capacity, skills 

and institutional barriers. 

Section 4 identifies the legal issues which need to be addressed. 

Section 5 makes recommendations in order to mobilise the widest possible 

support <strong>for</strong> the delivery of the planned investment programme. 

Section 6 sets out the proposed future work programme of the team and the 

Cabinet Committee on Infrastructural Development. 

Section 1 - Priority Objectives <strong>for</strong> <strong>Action</strong> 

5. In line with its terms of reference, the Team recommends that the initial focus of the 

Cabinet Committee's work should be on the timely delivery of the key transport infrastructure 

in the table at paragraph 7. In its consideration, the Committee drew on the extensive work on 

identifying transport infrastructure needs in respect of the NDP already carried out in the 

National Road Needs Study (NRA, 1998), the Review of Transport Infrastructure Investments 

Needs (DKM 1999) and the Dublin Transportation Blueprint 2000-2006 (DTO-1999). 

6. Other areas of infrastructural investment such as housing supply, water and waste 

management and electricity supply are also of the highest importance. Many of the 

recommendations made in this report will also provide a model which can be applied to 

improve the delivery of non-transport infrastructure projects. As part of its future work 

programme, the Team will review specific issues relevant to these other infrastructural areas 

including in particular electricity supply and the use of public private partnerships in waste 

water treatment facilities. 

Funding Arrangements 

7. In parts (i) and (ii) of the following list the Team have identified the key transport 

infrastructure which must put in place by 2006 if Ireland is not to suffer major constraints on 

its growth potential. In part (iii) the Team have identified the further transport infrastructure 

decisions which must be made by the end of 1999. 

The package of measures in the Table with the exception of the Eastern By-pass, which is to 

be the subject of further evaluation, will be included in the NDP. 

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(i) The development of the following roads to motorway/high quality dual carriageway 

standard in their entirety by 2006: 

• Dublin to the Border 

• Galway to Dublin 

• Cork to Dublin 

• Limerick to Dublin 

• Water<strong>for</strong>d to Dublin (road type and route to be evaluated by end 1999) 

The service objective to be maintained into the <strong>for</strong>eseeable future will be a minimum inter 

urban speed of 60 mph <strong>for</strong> the entirety the above routes i.e. the standard associated with 

motorways. 

(ii) The implementation of the following transport projects <strong>for</strong> the greater Dublin area: 

• Completion of the M50 and the Port Access Tunnel. 

• Completion of the LUAS Lines A and C (Tallaght to Connolly) by end 2002 and B 

(Sandy<strong>for</strong>d to St Stephen's Green) by mid 2003. 1 & 2 

• Enhancement of the existing rail and bus services on the lines proposed in the 

DTO Transportation Blueprint 2000-2006. 

• Implementation of further traffic management and possible demand 

management strategies on the lines proposed in the DTO Blueprint. 

(iii) Urgent evaluation should be completed so that decisions can be taken by end 1999 

as follows: 

- on the provision of an Eastern Motorway ( additional funding will need 

to be provided if this project proceeds). 

- on an indicative timetable <strong>for</strong> the implementation of the St. Stephen's 

Green to Dublin Airport LUAS line (including underground section) 2 

- on the provision of new urban rail links (e.g. Dublin Airport, 2 Navan) 

following completion of the necessary technical/feasibility studies. 

8. A detailed breakdown of the priority proposals is at Appendix I. 

Impact on Balanced Regional Development 

9. The adoption of the programme above and its timely delivery is, in the team’s view 

essential if we are to ensure continuing economic growth and help to achieve balanced 

regional development. It is also important to emphasise that the priority infrastructure in 

paragraph 7 is only part of a much larger transport investment programme (including <strong>for</strong> 

example the Western Corridor) which must be delivered in the period of the NDP. Significant 

other investment in infrastructure will be made in the National Development Plan to assist the 

Plan objective of balanced regional development. This investment will be provided in the 

context of a specific framework <strong>for</strong> Regional Development Policy to be articulated in the Plan. 

10. The priority transport infrastructure is, however, distinguishable by its particular 

importance to national economic development and to the development of the Greater Dublin 

area. Delay in providing it, would have substantial negative impacts throughout the country. 

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Section 2: Acceleration of programme and project delivery 

11, Delivery by 2006 of the key objectives identified in Section 1, and of the overall ambitious 

infrastructure programme contained in the NDP, represents an enormous challenge. The 

scale of the challenge is exemplified by the fact that the indicative budget <strong>for</strong> national roads 

<strong>for</strong> 2000-2006 is more than 3 times greater than <strong>for</strong> 1994-1999. 

12. To meet this challenge successfully, project planning will have to be intensified and 

accelerated, approval processes streamlined and the approach to project management 

sharpened. Private sector resources must also be drawn in as much as possible, through the 

PPP framework and otherwise, to increase delivery capacity <strong>for</strong> infrastructural programmes. 

(For example, NRA have estimated that the planning of national road schemes at present 

absorbs annually some 120 person years of NRA input and some 200 person years of 

consultancy input. The expanded NDP programme will require the NRA annual contribution to 

be increased to at least 200 person years and the consultancy contribution to be increased to 

1,000 person years). 

13. The Team have in the light of experience to date, set out in Appendix II recommendations 

<strong>for</strong> speedier programme delivery and in Appendix III "Best Practice Guidelines" <strong>for</strong> speedier 

project delivery. The Cabinet Committee should, in the Team's view, endorse these 

recommendations which will then be <strong>for</strong>warded to all relevant implementing agencies <strong>for</strong> 

appropriate action. This will include not only the transport agencies, such as NRA and CIE, 

but all other infrastructural agencies including local authorities. 

14. The enhanced programme and project management envisaged by this report will help 

meet the greatly increased demands of the NDP transport infrastructure programme, and 

rectify internal weaknesses in project management and delivery capability which have been 

experienced in earlier programmes. However, the progress of transport infrastructure projects 

is also increasingly being threatened or delayed by external objections and challenges: these 

can involve judicial reviews, the EU complaints procedure, the requirements of other public 

bodies or a combination of these factors. Improved project planning and management as 

proposed above will help to anticipate and overcome some of these threats. The legal and 

regulatory framework, which is to be developed (see section 4) will also help address these 

problems. 

15. The Team is aware that work on improving programme and project management is 

already underway. For example the National Roads Authority (NRA) has already 

strengthened its capacity by the creation of new management posts including a PPP 

manager, and is conducting a further management review of the Road Safety/Transportation 

and Pavement and Materials Research Division. 

16. In addition, further proposals <strong>for</strong> strengthening the staffing of NRA Roads Programme 

Division, including special arrangements designed to attract overseas based road engineers 

on contract are at an advanced stage of consideration. The use of regional design teams, 

aggregated procurement of schemes and overlapping of stages is expected to reduce the 

normal planning/procurement period <strong>for</strong> a major roads project from 5 to 3½ years with the aim 

of just over 3 years as the new objective. 

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Section 3: Measures to address bottlenecks and constraints including 

capacity, skills and institutional issues 

17. The Team recognise that the capacity of the construction and ancillary sectors to fulfill the 

increased demand <strong>for</strong> infrastructural development will be critical to the achievement of the 

National Development Plan. The indigenous sector may not have, or be able to provide, 

adequate capacity to deliver the accelerated infrastructure programme proposed in the plan. 

There are also growing signs that capacity constraints may be leading to above average price 

inflation in the construction area. Clearly if this trend is to continue there would be adverse 

effects <strong>for</strong> the quantum of infrastructure delivered by the National Development Plan 

allocations. The Minister <strong>for</strong> the Environment and Local Government has asked the Forum <strong>for</strong> 

the Construction Industry to consider as a matter of urgency how capacity in the industry can 

be increased in order to ensure that this does not happen. 

18. The Team recommends that particular emphasis should be placed in this review on the 

availability of skilled professional and technical personnel necessary to undertake the vastly 

increased planning and project management workload to implement an increased and 

accelerated infrastructural development programme. 

19. To complement this initiative, the Team recommends that the following programme to 

address these difficulties be put into operation immediately: 

• Public Private Partnerships to be used: 

- to help increase capacity, particularly to supplement 

national capacity with that from abroad, 

- to develop appropriate skills in Ireland both in the public 

and private sectors and 

- to obtain the benefits that such partnerships can bring not 

only in Design and Build but also in relation to the 

Operational part of projects over their lifetime. 

• augment the overall capacity of the construction industry, including through 

increasing the size of projects to stimulate the interest of <strong>for</strong>eign contractors 

• flexible and innovative personnel recruitment measures be used where necessary to 

augment the capacity of the implementing agencies. 

Public Private Partnerships 

20. PPP can play a significant role in enhancing capacity to deliver key projects, by 

harnessing private sector technical, financial and management skills as well as providing 

additional financial resources. Effective use of PPP requires implementation agencies to 

adopt an innovative approach to the management of programmes as well as projects, such as 

identifying suitable classes of projects at an early stage and shifting their focus towards 

project outcomes and outputs. It is essential to take early decisions on approaches to PPP in 

the context of the accelerated programme. The pilot roads projects which are based on full or 

partial toll financing, are: (date planned to seek tenders) 

• Water<strong>for</strong>d By-pass, including a new bridge on the Suir, on the N25 (late 2000) 

• Second West Link Bridge on the M50 (early 2000) 

• New Western River Crossing in Limerick on the N7 (mid 2001) 

It is also intended to actively explore the potential <strong>for</strong> a PPP to develop the Kilcock-Kinnegad 

section of the N4 (mid 2001) 

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In addition, it is proposed to adopt a PPP approach to elements of the LUAS project. 

However, the Government will need to consider the appropriate approach to be adopted. 

Subject to the avoidance of undue delays, the transfer of planning risk should be considered 

<strong>for</strong> one of these pilot projects. 

21. It is important now to set targets <strong>for</strong> implementation and in particular the means by which 

the estimated £1bn PPP element of the NDP national roads expenditure is to be achieved. 

For example the use of mechanisms other than hard tolls need to be developed. The role of 

PPP in helping acquire project management expertise also needs to be progressed urgently. 

Section 4: Legal Issues 

Planning issues 

22. As an indication of the importance that the Government accords to this issue the Team 

recommends that the Planning Bill should be given the highest priority in the legislative 

programme and be enacted be<strong>for</strong>e Easter 2000. The Bill contains a number of fundamental 

re<strong>for</strong>ms in relation to the provision of public infrastructure. Chief among these is the transfer 

to An Bord Pleanala of the functions of the Minister <strong>for</strong> the Environment and Local 

Government in relation to the confirmation of Motorway Schemes/Compulsory Purchase 

Orders (CPOs) made by local authorities and the certification/approval of environmental 

impact statements in regard to major local authority developments e.g. motorways and water 

treatment plants. 

23. However, the Planning Bill amendments will address only improvements in the approval 

procedure <strong>for</strong> DOELG infrastructure projects. Other legislation and administrative procedures 

which can apply to infrastructural developments including rail, conservation, marine licensing 

etc needs to be reviewed as a matter of urgency by the relevant Departments. The aim 

should be to eliminate unnecessary delays in the approval process. The Infrastructure 

Support Unit of the Department of Finance and the Regulatory Re<strong>for</strong>m Unit of the Department 

of the Taoiseach will give this package of re<strong>for</strong>m the highest priority. 

Process of Judicial Review 

24. The Planning Bill contains a provision whereby those seeking Judicial Review will have to 

demonstrate a "substantial interest" in order to be successful in their application. In its 

decision on the Planning Bill (S180/20/10/0193) of 21 July 1999 the Government authorised 

the Minister <strong>for</strong> Justice to take steps to ensure that judicial review of planning and 

infrastructural cases are dealt with speedily by the High Court, if necessary by setting up a 

special division of the Court. The Team will examine the judicial review process 

(a) to ascertain whether Court Rules and procedures are 

unnecessarily delaying the resolution of legal challenges to 

infrastructural projects and 

(b) to ascertain whether the judicial review procedure is the 

most expeditious process <strong>for</strong> determining legal challenges to 

infrastructural projects. 

The team will also study the feasibility of having larger segments of infrastructure approved in 

one procedure and methods of improving the approval procedures <strong>for</strong> projects so as to 

minimise the likelihood of judicial review proceedings being sought. 

25. The Team will also consider whether amendments to the Constitution are necessitated to 

protect the community interest in ensuring that infrastructual projects are completed speedily 

without unnecessary legal and other obstacles while preserving the rights of individuals under 

EC Law and under the European Convention of Human Rights. 

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Section 5: Mobilisation of Public Support to implement the Infrastructure 

Programme 

26. The National Development Plan will involve an unprecedented expansion and 

acceleration of investment in infrastructure, particularly in the transport area. The completion 

of this programme is rightly seen as urgently required in the public interest by Government, by 

the social partners and by citizens. However, notwithstanding this important consensus, an 

expanded infrastructural programme on the scale now planned will inevitably give rise to 

objections in relation to the impact of individual projects. A widespread consensus in favour of 

increased and accelerated infrastructural investment will not in itself translate into active 

support <strong>for</strong>, or an absence of objections to, individual projects. One only needs to look to the 

examples of the Southern Cross motorway, Dublin Port Tunnel, LUAS and Quality Bus 

Corridors to see this reality. 

27. Experience indicates the importance of anticipating and managing the inevitable reaction 

from individuals, businesses and communities who are directly affected by the speed and 

scale of the building programme proposed. The Team are strongly of the view that in planning 

and delivering the proposed accelerated infrastructural development programme in Ireland, it 

will be important to "champion" the development in the national context widely and in a very 

proactive way. For these reasons, there is now a need to: 

(a) make even more effective the present wide consensus on 

the priority of improving Irish infrastructure, particularly in the 

context of the National Development Plan 

(b) make the programme of infrastructural development and 

the objective of timely and efficient delivery of this 

programme an integral part of the Partnership process, 

particularly any successor agreement to Partnership 2000. 

(c) develop and implement a communications strategy, at a 

number of levels, designed to in<strong>for</strong>m the public of the 

necessity <strong>for</strong> and the economic and environmental benefits 

of infrastructural investment. 

28. In approaching this programme, a number of key messages need to be communicated 

clearly. In particular: 

• the rationale <strong>for</strong> the expenditure on infrastructure in terms of the safeguarding of the 

economic and social progress made to date, 

• the benefits which society as a whole will derive from the quality of life improvements 

which improved accessibility and reduced congestion will bring, and 

• the vital contribution which effective infrastructure makes to securing future national 

development and the safeguarding of the national environment. 

29. In view of the above, there is an urgent need to develop a coherent communications 

strategy to get the message across about the advantages of rapid implementation of the 

infrastructure programme (including environmental advantages). The damage both in terms of 

economic growth and quality of life which will result if there are major delays in the delivery of 

infrastructure also need to be stressed. This strategy needs to operate not just at the central 

Government but also at local authority and semi-State levels. The strategy will have to be 

properly planned and resourced and will include the engagement of professional assistance. 

The Team will now address this issue in more detail. 

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Section 6: Future Work Programme of the Team 

30. The Team is conscious of a need to review possible wider institutional and administrative 

impediments to the effective implementation of the transport investment programme proposed 

in the National Development Plan. In addition to acting as a support Group <strong>for</strong> the Cabinet 

Sub-committee the Team there<strong>for</strong>e proposes, subject to the approval of the Committee, to 

prepare a scoping or where possible a more detailed strategy report by end December on 

these issues, concentrating on; 

• The institutional and administrative arrangements <strong>for</strong> the provision of public transport; 

• The administrative arrangements <strong>for</strong> the implementation of national road projects; 

• The institutional arrangements <strong>for</strong> transport in the greater Dublin area; 

• Examination of the judicial review process, and other options <strong>for</strong> legal/constitutional 

re<strong>for</strong>m as outlined in paragraphs 24 and 25; 

• The development and implementation of a communications strategy. 

• The removal of impediments to delivery of infrastructural projects in non transport 

areas. 

31. As regards PPP, it is important that the good progress made to date and the momentum 

behind the PPP process be maintained and further developed. In line with its terms of 

reference, the team will support the development and implementation of the PPP framework. 

32. The secretariat of the Cabinet Committee will be based in the Department of the 

Taoiseach. In developing these reports the Team will be supported by the new Infrastructure 

Unit in the Department of Finance and the Head of that Unit will participate in future meetings 

of the Team. 

Work of the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure and Public Private Partnerships 

33. The Team recommends that the Cabinet Committee: 

• Approve the priority objectives and projects set out in Section 1. 

• Approve the recommendations <strong>for</strong> action in relation to programme and project 

delivery in Sections 2 and 3 (and Appendices II and III) and mandate the Team to 

liaise on the implementation of these recommendations with the delivery agencies. 

• Approve the future work programme of the team outlined in this Section. 

• Adopt the role of promoting the infrastructural development programme outlined in 

Section 5. 

34. It is recommended that the Cabinet Committee meet with the Secretaries General of the 

Departments of Environment and Local Government, Finance, Public Enterprise and the 

Chief Executives of the NRA and CIE on a regular basis to monitor progress on the priority 

projects. From time to time, it will also be necessary to include other Departments with 

licensing/control functions e.g. Department of the Marine and Natural Resources in relation to 

marine <strong>for</strong>eshore licensing, the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands in 

relation to heritage, habits and archaeological functions which impact on infrastructure 

development . 

35. The response of these bodies to the recommendations on project and programme 

management outlined in Section 2 should <strong>for</strong>m the basis <strong>for</strong> the initial interaction between 

each of these bodies and the Cabinet Committee. 

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In addition, a more detailed timetable should be prepared <strong>for</strong> each project identified in 

Appendix I, giving a completion date <strong>for</strong> each major phase in project planning, approval and 

implementation. The LUAS indicative timetable published by the Minister <strong>for</strong> Public Enterprise 

in May 1998 has proven useful in this regard. 

36. A table of these key infrastructural projects should be prepared <strong>for</strong> each meeting giving 

the current state of progress against the indicative timetable and budget and identifying risk 

factors. Each meeting should commence with a report on progress to date, including the 

cause of delays and cost overruns, if any, and possible solutions. 

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Cross Departmental Team on Infrastructural Development 

and Public Private Partnership 

September 1999 

APPENDIX I 

Key Transport Projects 2000-2006 

(I) National Roads 

This programme adopts the policy objective of providing a high quality of service on the 

strategic routes and of completing/substantially completing these routes by 2006 3 . All roads 

are to be built to motorway/high quality dual carriageway standard and a minimum level of 

service C (equivalent to minimum 60mph average interurban speed) would obtain from 

construction time through to 2019 on these routes; higher levels of service would in practice 

be commonly achieved. 

Project Commencement Completion 

M50 to Border 

M1 Cloghran/Lissenhall 2000 2002 

M1 Lissenhall/Balbriggan 2001 2003 

M1 Drogheda By-Pass 1999 2002 

M1 Dunleer/Dundalk 1998 2001 

M1 Dundalk Western By-Pass 2001 2003 

N1 Border/Dundalk 2003 2005 

Dublin-Galway 

N4 Leixlip/M50 Junction 2001 2003 

N4 Celbridge Interchange 2000 2001 

N4 Kinnegad-Enfield By-Pass 4 2002 2005 

N6 Kinnegad/Athlone 2003 2006 

N6 Loughrea/Athlone 2004 2006 

N6 Loughrea By-Pass 2001 2002 

N6 Oranmore/Loughrea 2003 2005 

Dublin-Limerick 

N7 Naas Road to Kildare Co. 

Boundary 

2001 2003 

N7 Naas Road Widening 2002 2004 

N7 Kildare By-Pass 1998 2002 

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N7 Monasterevan By-Pass 2001 2003 

N7 Portlaoise/Mountrath By-Pass 2003 2005 

N7 Mountrath/Nenagh 2004 2006 

N7 Nenagh By-Pass 1998 2000 

N7 Nenagh/Limerick 2002 2005 

N7 Limerick Southern Ring Road 

Ph 1 

1999 2002 

N7 Limerick Southern Ring Road 

Ph 2 

2002 2004 

Dublin-Cork 

N8 Portlaoise/Durrow By-Pass 2003 2005 

N8 Durrow/Horse & Jockey 2003 2006 

Project Commencement Completion 

N8 Horse & Jockey/Caher By-Pass 2002 2006 

N8 Mitchelstown/Caher 2004 2006 

N8 Mitchelstown By- 

Pass/Rathcormack 

2003 2006 

N8 Fermoy By-Pass 2002 2004 

N8 Watergrasshill By-Pass 2000 2002 

M50 

M50 Dublin Port Tunnel 2000 2003 

M50 Southern Cross Route 1998 2001 

M50 South Eastern Motorway 2000 2003 

M50 Second West Link Bridge 2000 2002 

M50 Upgrading (3 lanes and 

interchanges) 

2002 2005 

M50 Eastern Motorway [subject to 

NRA evaluation] 

2003 2006 

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(ii) Public Transport 

Mode Project Indicative Completion Timetable 

LUAS 

Lines A and C (Tallaght to end 2002 

Connolly Station) 

Line B (Sandy<strong>for</strong>d to St. Stephens 

Green) 

Lines D and E (St.Stephens Green 

to Dublin Airport) 

Bus Project Additional bus capacity (275 

buses) 

Local Bus Networks (11 locations, 

80 buses) 

Rail Project 

mid 2003 

decide indicative timetable by end 

1999 

phased provision 2000-2006 

Phase 1 (7 locations): end 2000 

Phase 2 (4 locations): end 2003 

5 New Quality Bus Corridors Phased provision to 2006 

Additional DART rolling stock (46 

cars) 

16 by end 2002, 

30 by end 2006 

Additional Diesel Railcars (58) phased provision to 2006 

Upgrade Greystones to Arklow line end 2001 

Resignal and upgrade Howth to 

Barrow Street 

Upgrade Kildare to Connolly line 

(including Phoenix Park tunnel) 

New stations and longer plat<strong>for</strong>ms 

at existing stations 

Suburban rail development 

programme (Dublin Airport, Navan, 

etc.) 

Integration Park & Ride (8 sites, 3,700 

spaces) 

Public transport interchange (19 

locations) 

to be decided in context of 

consultants report 

end 2002 

Integrated ticketing and fares end 2002 

phased provision to end 2003 

projects and indicative timetable by 

end 1999 

phased provision to 2005 

phased provision to end 2002 

The Implementation of transport infrastructure projects in the greater Dublin Area will need to 

be accompanied by a demand management strategy, the details of which will be developed 

by the Dublin Transportation Office. 

All new buses, railcars, light rail vehicles and stations provided under the public transport 

programme <strong>for</strong> the Greater Dublin Area will be accessible to mobility impaired and disabled 

people. 

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APPENDIX II 

Recommendations on Accelerated and Expanded Infrastructure Programme delivery 

• Implementing agencies should urgently assess their organisational requirements in 

relation to expanded/accelerated programmes and complete any necessary 

strengthening/reallocation of resources as quickly as possible. 

• Involvement of consultants should be maximised from an early stage of project 

panning so as to allow overall programme delivery to be speeded up. 

• Both at planning and construction stages (subject to separate requirements) the 

possibilities <strong>for</strong> aggregating projects should be maximised with a view to achieving 

economies of scale. 

• At this stage and in the early years of NDP, it is vital to prioritise, and significantly to 

increase investment in, the planning of new projects. 

• Use of PPP should be considered where it has potential to assist in the early delivery 

of infrastructure projects and can provide value <strong>for</strong> money <strong>for</strong> the public sector over 

the lifetime of the project. 

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APPENDIX III 

Delivering the Infrastructure Provisions of the National Development 

Plan 

2000 - 2006 

BEST PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION 

Introduction 

The following "Best Practice" guidelines were drafted as part of the <strong>Framework</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Action</strong> on 

Infrastructural Development, including Public Private Partnerships which has been approved 

by the Government. They provide a framework <strong>for</strong> the implementation of project management 

to the best available standards across all sectors and projects. They are intended to act as an 

overall statement of best practice and to build on and complement the existing good practice 

in operation. 

The Guidelines are intended to ensure consistency in project management in relation to 

infrastructure delivery and <strong>for</strong> this reason, they focus specifically on project management 

techniques in each phase of the project. They are not a full statement of the duties of project 

managers and, in particular, it is assumed that health and safety standards and good 

industrial relations practices which fully comply with all statutory and other obligations will be 

applied. 

General 

The accelerated level of infrastructural investment provided <strong>for</strong> in then National Development 

Plan will place increasing demands on implementing agencies. The financial allocations <strong>for</strong> 

projects will take account of this factor. The need to remain within the financial parameters 

<strong>for</strong> the project should be kept clearly in view. All implementing and other agencies 

should continually review the deployment of resources to ensure maximum possible 

effectiveness. The option of pooling resources between implementing agencies where 

appropriate should also be pursued. 

Quality management should <strong>for</strong>m an integral part of the project management process. 

The relevant agency should be in a position to show that all due processes have been 

complied with. The quality management process should also cover the approvals and 

decision procedures within each agency or authority which has licensing, decision or approval 

powers in respect of the project. 

Preparatory Phase Recommendations 

Consideration of each project should take account of the Guidelines <strong>for</strong> the Appraisal and 

Management of Capital Expenditure Proposals in the Public Sector which were issued by 

the Department of Finance in July 1994 and the Working Rules <strong>for</strong> Cost-Benefit Analysis 

published by the CSF Evaluation Unit of the Department of Finance. 

For each project, or an appropriate grouping of projects, the implementing agency should 

establish a dedicated project planning team with an experienced full time project 

manager and adequate personnel with relevant skills, expertise and experience. Project 

teams can comprise agency staff or consultants or a combination of both. The need <strong>for</strong> 

adequate public relations and legal expertise is particularly important. 

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The most appropriate size of the project needs to be clearly defined. Larger projects may 

be more appropriate in a PPP context. However, it is also important that the size of the project 

is defined by reference to its complexity. If a project is too big and too complex this may 

add to delay. 

The implementing agency and funding body should establish clear and effective decision 

making structures from the inception of project planning right through to the completion of 

construction. The monitoring and oversight arrangements required by Departments should be 

critically reviewed so as to ensure that they are the absolute minimum necessary and that 

they do not unnecessarily divert planning resources or duplicate other monitoring 

arrangements. 

Implementing agencies, and funding bodies, should ensure that adequate financial 

resources are allocated each year to the planning of infrastructure projects and 

prioritised to avoid wasting resources on projects which may not eventually proceed. 

Each project should have an adequate and clearly defined budget, with an adequate 

contingency provision. It is essential that there is sufficient budgetary flexibility within overall 

agreed allocations to ensure that essential modifications arising from the public consultation 

or environmental impact assessment process can be taken on board. Adequate cost control 

procedures should be in place to ensure that changes are not taken as an invitation to 

escalate project costs but as a prudent measure to address concerns be<strong>for</strong>e they become a 

major delaying factor during the approval process. 

Each project should have a clearly defined set of indicators to enable cost comparison 

across projects and to enable the measurement of progress on the project during its 

execution. 

Public consultation should be thorough and well managed. It should be approached with 

an open mind and a preparedness to modify the project where appropriate. It should be well 

resourced with skilled personnel who can address the issues raised. It should be focused and 

work within a tightly defined timetable. 

Public advocacy of individual projects needs to be properly resourced, well prepared 

and effectively managed by the implementing agency. It is vitally important that the purpose 

of the proposed project be clearly explained to the general public and opinion <strong>for</strong>mers and 

that objections to the project and concerns about it are quickly and effectively addressed. In 

certain cases, it may be appropriate to appoint a project champion who will be the public face 

of the project. Well planned engagement with non-governmental organisations, particularly 

those with roles laid down in legislation, should <strong>for</strong>m an integral part of the management of 

the project. 

Each major project should have a thorough environmental assessment which identifies 

and addresses all significant impacts on the environment. There should be full cooperation 

between the relevant environmental agencies and the project team to ensure that 

potential impacts are identified as early as possible in the planning process <strong>for</strong> the project. 

Environmental agencies should ensure that they provide sufficient resources to do this. 

Where additional resources are required <strong>for</strong> this purpose, reasonable, appropriate and 

properly documented costs can be charged to the project. 

Similarly, implementing agencies should co-operate fully with statutory agencies and utilities 

to identify and address issues as early as possible in the planning process. Adequate 

resources with overall agreed allocations should be allocated to ensure this and reasonable, 

appropriate and properly documented additional costs incurred by the agencies or utilities can 

be charged to the projects. 

It may be appropriate to establish a utilities group to co-ordinate the approach to utilities on 

certain major projects. Clear criteria should be developed as to the costing and charging of 

utilities works and clear rules should be established in relation to allocation of costs arising 

from the betterment of utilities. 

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Approval Phase Recommendations 

The implementing agency should allocate adequate and appropriately skilled resources to 

the preparation and presentation of its case <strong>for</strong> statutory approval. The documentation 

supporting the application needs to be of high quality, adequately set out the case <strong>for</strong> the 

project and properly address the likely environmental impact. The technical and legal team 

presenting the case <strong>for</strong> the project need to be adequately resourced and well prepared and 

briefed. 

An Bord Pleanala should ensure that the inspector appointed to conduct an inquiry or 

hearing into a major project is, wherever possible, assigned on a full-time basis until 

his/her work is completed. The Bord should ensure that it has adequate legal resources to 

prepare the necessary legal documentation arising from its decisions, which in some cases 

will be significantly different to that used <strong>for</strong> planning appeal decisions. 

Implementing agencies and An Bord Pleanala should establish dedicated legal / 

administrative teams to manage legal actions in respect of infrastructural projects in a 

proactive manner. Such cases must be pursued by the public authorities in a much more 

focused and proactive way than has been the practice to date, with a particular emphasis on 

compliance with timetables set by the Rules of the Superior Courts or in Court Orders. 

Implementation Phase Recommendations 

Implementing agencies must ensure, as far as possible, that a project is ready to 

proceed immediately the necessary statutory approval comes into <strong>for</strong>ce. This will 

involve thecompletion of designs and the preparation of contract documents in parallel with 

the approval process. It will also require the project team to attempt to anticipate the 

conditions to be attached to the approval, having regard to the evidence heard at the inquiry 

or hearing. Such an approach involves a risk that some of the work done may subsequently 

have to be modified or set aside. However, the balance of advantage normally favours taking 

this risk. 

At an early stage in the planning of major projects, the project planning team should 

undertake a risk assessment to decide on the appropriate level of investigation of 

geological and ground conditions and other technical factors which might delay the 

construction process. The earliest possible consultation of the state agencies responsible <strong>for</strong> 

environmental and heritage protection should be ensured. 

A public private partnership approach should be adopted wherever it will accelerate 

the implementation of a particular project and represent better value <strong>for</strong> money over 

the full life cycle of the project. The most appropriate <strong>for</strong>m of PPP (ranging from design and 

build to design, build, finance and operate) should be adopted having regard to the particular 

circumstances of the individual project. 

The Cross Departmental Team on Infrastructural Development and Public Private Partnerships. 

Department of the Taoiseach 

February 2000 

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Framework for Action on - Department of Taoiseach

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