The Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation Jack Chambers has welcomed the announcement of a settlement in the judicial review of the Greater Dublin Drainage project.

The Minister described it as “a hugely positive development in the delivery of the critical infrastructure required to support more homes for our people”.

Uisce Éireann confirmed the settlement today, avoiding the need for a full court hearing and allowing the project to proceed.

The scheme will provide a new regional wastewater treatment facility and associated infrastructure to North Dublin and its surrounding areas, serving the equivalent of half a million people living and working across the Greater Dublin Area.

Mr Chambers said the project could now move to its remaining stages. “This is a critical project for the social and economic development of the greater Dublin area and our country as a whole,” he said. “It will support the delivery of thousands of new homes and the conclusion of this process is good news for families, young people and everyone seeking to secure a home as well as businesses and local communities.”

He noted that the Government had published the Accelerating Infrastructure Taskforce Action Plan earlier this week, setting out 30 time bound measures to speed up delivery of major projects, with a particular focus on water and wastewater treatment. Reform of the judicial review system is among the actions identified.

“While access to the courts is vital, it should not be used as a tool to indefinitely delay critical projects that are in the national interest,” Mr Chambers said.

He added, “I acknowledge the work of Irish Water in securing this important outcome and I look forward to the project progressing.”