Ireland stands at a pivotal moment in its infrastructure journey
With €112 billion set to be invested in Ireland’s infrastructure over the next ten years under the new National Development Plan (NDP) and transformative projects like MetroLink on the horizon, the pressure to deliver faster, smarter and more sustainably has never been greater. At present, Government officials, industry and academia are exploring how technology – particularly artificial intelligence (AI) – can reshape procurement and project delivery across the transport sector.
The Irish Government’s infrastructure vision
The Irish Government are focused on targeted reform. Rather than wholesale restructuring, the Government is prioritising strategic interventions to expedite planning decisions, improve inter-agency coordination, and align investment with regional development goals.
Central to this vision is the newly established Accelerating Infrastructure Taskforce, tasked with overcoming long-standing barriers to delivery of infrastructure projects and replicating international best practices. The revised NDP, published recently in July 2025, reflects this shift toward climate-aligned, digitally enabled infrastructure delivery.
There is a current lack of specificity on procurement pathways – particularly how the private sector might engage with upcoming delivery plans. This gap underscores the need for clearer frameworks and more transparent collaboration between public and private stakeholders.
AI in procurement
Dr Houssem Jerbi, CEO of Smart PMO, pioneers the means in which AI can revolutionise transport megaprojects. With over 75% of transport projects facing delays and 59% running over budget, AI offers a predictive, data-driven alternative to traditional reactive approaches.
Smart PMO’s platform supports the full project lifecycle – from portfolio and bid evaluation to risk management and benchmarking.
Results from global case studies are striking:
- Up to 4% cost savings
- 12% time reduction
- 210% increase in certainty
- 45% reduction in PMO workload.
In Saudi Arabia, AI helped the Saudi Ministry of Transport avoid €210 million in losses across 312 projects. In European Data Centre bids, AI saved €42 million and 156 days of work by mitigating 75 risks early. These outcomes suggest that AI is not just a tool, it is a strategic enabler for smarter procurement and delivery.
Dublin’s MetroLink
MetroLink, Ireland’s first mega infrastructure project, exemplifies both the promise and the challenge of large-scale delivery. It is a transformative public transport programme featuring a high capacity, high frequency, fully automated metro railway with 16 new stations from Swords to Charlemont in Dublin. When operational, trains will run every three minutes at peak times and is expected to carry up to 53 million passengers annually. The programme’s procurement strategy is guided by objectives such as delivering high-quality passenger services, facilitating system integration, minimising interfaces and risks, achieving best whole-life value for money and supporting competition and Irish industry capacity.
With a projected cost of €9.50 billion and capacity to carry 20,000 passengers per hour (more than double the capacity of the Luas light rail system), it is a nation-building initiative designed to combat congestion, support housing and drive economic growth. However, as Programme
Director Séan Sweeney acknowledged, forecasting costs for projects over €600 million remains notoriously difficult. This suggests that traditional procurement models may be insufficient. AI and digital tools could play a vital role in improving certainty in cost, stakeholder engagement and delivery timelines for the vast MetroLink project.
Technology as a catalyst for national objectives
Infrastructure investment supports broader societal outcomes – economic growth, social equity, public health and environmental sustainability. More specifically, long-term, tech-enabled transit planning can regenerate cities and improve quality of life. Projects like DART+, BusConnects, and MetroLink are seen as platforms for inclusive community growth, not just mobility solutions. Thus, aligning transport investment with housing, climate and health goals is essential.
Concluding remarks
As Ireland embarks on its next phase of infrastructure development, the integration of AI and digital tools into procurement and delivery is no longer optional, it is imperative. Public sector organisations must embrace predictive technologies and pilot innovative approaches to build capability. The future of Irish infrastructure depends on embracing technology and AI to provide the clarity, agility and foresight required to deliver at scale and pace.