A group representing businesses in the capital has said it is deeply concerned about regulatory and planning barriers in Ireland that are delaying the delivery of critical infrastructure and the rise of anti-social behaviour and hate crimes.
Dublin Chamber has also strongly criticised Government supports for Irish businesses saying that it would be reckless to continue to rely so heavily on foreign direct investment as the main driver for the economy.
Speaking at the organisation's annual dinner, Dublin Chamber President Eoghan Quigley said that if Dublin and Ireland are to remain world-class places to do business, Ireland needs to deliver rail, water and electricity projects and affordable housing on time and on budget.
He said €275 billion had been allocated in the next decade for such infrastructure but that there are no concrete details on what will be done.
"Beyond headlines, there is little in the way of detail regarding what specific programmes and projects are to proceed. While reference is made to measures to speed up delivery and move vital projects off the page and into construction, no concrete plans have been outlined," Mr Quigley said.
He also said that Dublin Chamber remains "deeply concerned" about the regulatory and planning barriers that hinder the delivery of critical infrastructure, citing the example of Uisce Éireann who he said must navigate 12 different regulatory and local bodies before they can begin projects.
"Most project approvals also must happen sequentially, not in parallel. That isn't good governance. That's bureaucracy gone mad. Of course, we need robust and responsible regulation. But regulators cannot hold the national interest to ransom - and neither can endless objections that delay projects critical to unlocking and unblocking housing and growth," he said.
Dublin Chamber 'deeply disappointed'
Mr Quigley also said Dublin Chamber is "deeply disappointed" about the judicial review lodged against the Greater Dublin Drainage Scheme and to the DART+ Coastal North project.
"Unless there are clear and compelling reasons to say no, the public good must take precedence. Every year of delay in delivering critical infrastructure, Dublin becomes less liveable, less sustainable, and less competitive," he added.
The Dublin Chamber president also said there must be zero tolerance for hate crimes, firm consequences for those who engage in them and that the diversity of Dublin must be protected.
"The recent rise in anti-social behaviour on our streets and the disgraceful threats made against our Tánaiste are an insult to everything this country stands for.
"There must be zero tolerance for hate crimes. Over the last few decades, Dublin has flourished into a diverse, cosmopolitan city, a place that welcomes individuals from all over the world," he said.
"That diversity has been one of the great strengths behind our economic success. We should be proud of that - and we must protect it. That means swift, firm consequences for hate crimes, but also the courage to tackle their underlying causes."
'Homegrown multinational successes are few and far between'
Mr Quigley also said he believes the Government is failing indigenous businesses and said it would be reckless of the State to keep depending on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
"Ireland has reaped the benefits of a very successful FDI policy for many years - and hopefully for many more. But it has failed, and continues to fail, indigenous business in terms of rewarding the risk-taking needed for start-ups to grow into world-class firms.
"Homegrown multinational successes are few and far between. And many successful founders move abroad to set up their next business or to act as a mentor to their successors.
"This month, we were told by Government that they had delivered a "business-friendly" budget. Yet for those of us at the coalface of entrepreneurship, it fell far short of what's truly needed to back home-grown business," he said.
Mr Quigley added: "The FDI winds that have powered our economy are no longer tailwinds. We cannot depend on overseas capital to keep pouring money into Ireland. We have to control what we can control - and on that front, the indigenous industry package in Budget 2026 missed the mark.
"It would be reckless for this country to continue to rely so heavily on FDI as the only material economic driver for its economy. Ireland must give its indigenous enterprises the resources to power growth on equal terms. Tinkering with existing schemes won't fix the problem, however, because the schemes don’t work.
"It seems that there is a fear in Government circles that cutting the rate of capital gains tax would be seen by the public as serving the few but not the many. But let’s be honest: if rewarding Irish risk-takers is considered pandering to fat cats, then Ireland is in serious trouble.
"Because when capital isn’t treated well, it leaves - and so do the very people who build and scale companies, create jobs, and pay taxes."
Govt focusing on strenghtening Irelands business base - Tánaiste
Tánaiste Simon Harris has said that the Government is focusing on strengthening Ireland's business base in the face of global pressures.
Addressing the Dublin Chamber Annual Dinner, he said the Government has responded in various ways to the changing international environment.
"When we negotiated the Programme for Government earlier this year, we agreed that strengthening Ireland’s enterprise base would remain at the heart of our economic strategy because we can never take economic success for granted," he said.
"The economy is strong, but the world around us is changing fast. The certainties that once underpinned our prosperity are being tested. This is no time for complacency. Uncertainty is now the defining feature of the global economy. The principles of free, fair and open trade, foundations of Ireland’s growth, are under pressure."
He also said the publication of the National Development Plan in July, the establishment of the Accelerating Infrastructure Taskforce and a series of reforms in housing and planning will help make the delivery of infrastructure a priority.
The Tánaiste also said that those in public life should not act as a barrier to infrastructure.
He said: "Those who have engaged in serial objections and then go on to bemoan the lack of infrastructure are engaging in self-serving hypocrisy that is a major obstacle to the development and growth of all parts of this country. This type of double speak cuts to the heart of credibility in public life."
