Government to encourage civil servants to increase risk appetite for infrastructure projects
Tuesday 7 July 2026
Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers has announced reforms instructing public sector decision-makers to prioritise delivery speed over administrative caution.
Irish civil servants and public sector decision-makers will be explicitly encouraged to take greater risks to accelerate the delivery of major construction and infrastructure projects.
Speaking at the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland conference in Croke Park, Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers stated that risk aversion is holding the country back. He argued that the State must move away from a system dominated by excessive bureaucracy and multiple layers of process.
New Risk Appetite Statements
Under reforms presented to the Cabinet on 7 July 2026, the government will publish 'risk appetite statements' to signal that delivery and speed should be prioritised over overly cautious administrative procedures. Individual departments will be encouraged to create sector-specific Risk Appetite Statements covering critical infrastructure, including:
- Housing
- Energy stations
- Public transport
- Water plants
Tolerating Specific Planning and Litigation Risks
The reforms mean the State will tolerate specific risks to keep projects moving. Examples of this new tolerance include purchasing land before final project approval is secured and accepting potential litigation risks, provided that strong governance is in place.
Minister Chambers emphasised that the government is changing the system entirely to place a greater risk appetite at the heart of public service decision-making, aiming to speed up public service delivery.