Uisce Eireann chief says planning objections costing State 'billions'
Planning objections to major projects are costing the State and taxpayers 'billions' of euro, the CEO of Uisce Éireann has warned.
Niall Gleeson stated that there is a 'cohort of people in this country who don't want to build anything', as he warned of a new phenomenon called 'bananas' – 'Build absolutely nothing anywhere near anything'.
He made the remarks at the opening of a new wastewater treatment plan in Arklow, Co Wicklow, which was also attended by Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Housing Minister James Browne.
During his speech, Mr Gleeson spoke about how planning permission was launched for the Arklow wastewater treatment plant and the Greater Dublin Drainage Project (GDG) at the same time.
GDG still has not been completed due to objections and planning delays, while the Arklow site was opened on Friday. Mr Gleeson said there is 'something wrong with the system if that can happen'.
If the Dublin project had been built at the time, the cost would have been €600 million, but Mr Gleeson fears it could be in the region of €1.2 billion now due to inflation and delays.
He said: 'We have a cohort of people in this country who don't want to build anything and they are holding up processes on the basis of being environmental crusaders.
'But actually, the people in this tent are the environmentalists, the people who campaigned for the project, the people who provide the funding, the people who did the design, did the build and now operate the plant.
'We need to work on the objectors. They're not really helping the environment.
'They're just costing the taxpayer hundreds of millions and they're stopping our children from getting homes.'
Speaking to reporters after his speech, Mr Gleeson projected that planning objections that lead to delays are causing prices to rise and costing the State more money in the long term.
He said: 'I would say that if you took it, the taxpayer and the State, it is probably in the billions [that is being lost].
'Private entities are losing a fortune through this kind of stuff as well.
'I know there's a lot of work being done on the planning process and, actually, a lot of the planning process works pretty well with the local authorities and An Bórd Pleanála,
'But it's the ones that are tricky to get through, the larger projects, that I think we need extra support. But that cost is real.'
Mr Gleeson said that he knows we live in a 'democratic society' and there are 'processes' in place for objecting to projects.
However, he suggested that 'people are using the judicial review system where they don't like the answer from An Bórd Pleanála.
He added: 'I don't think that's working for the State. I don't think the common good is being delivered.'
When Mr Gleeson's concerns were put to the Taoiseach, he said 'we are in a democratic society' and 'always welcome consultations and inputs from local communities and from people in terms of any major piece of infrastructure'.
He also stated that new planning laws and the establishment of a new Planning Commission 'will help in that regard'.
This week, questions were raised about whether €1 billion in funding announced in Budget 2026 was actually additional funding.
Mr Gleeson said that Uisce Éireann wrote to then-Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien seeking 'clarification on the extra €1billion' and that they received an answer they were 'satisfied with'.
He stated that the body had sought €10.2 billion over the next five years as part of the strategic funding plan. Following the decision to increase housing targets, they have now sought an extra €2 billion.
He added: 'I think we would say that we're happy with the funding that we're getting at the moment.'
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