[Article] 'Breathe life into PPPs' call

Victor

http://www.rte.ie/business/2004/0706/infrastructure.html

'Breathe life into PPPs' call

July 06, 2004 12:35
There has been a call for a National Infrastructure Advisory Board, which would include representatives from the construction industry, finance experts, and decision makers from the main procurement agencies.

Peter Brennan, managing director of A&L Goodbody Consulting, said such a board could deliver more timely results and deal with planning and development bottlenecks.

He was speaking at the launch of the company's report on public infrastructure in Ireland.

The report says the structures and economic conditions for the roll-out of major capital infrastructure are in place, but it points to a shortfall in the number of public private partnerships.

Mr Brennan says the Government must 'breathe life' into the PPP process, and calls for 'clear and unequivocal' Department of Finance endorsement.

The report also says that valuable expertise is scattered throughout a number of departments and agencies in the public service, and calls for a pooling of resources. It points to the Dublin Docklands area, where there are six agencies with statutory authority for transport projects.