Construction and Engineering
Ireland
LEGISLATION PROGRAMME
The Government’s legislation programme for Autumn 2026 (PDF, 553 KB) includes:
- For priority publication: Renewable Heat Obligation Bill, Private Wires Bill and Metrolink Bill
- For priority drafting: Heat (Networks and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, Energy Performance of Buildings Directive Bill, Deforestation and Forest Degradation Bill and Land Development Agency (Amendment) Bill
- Heads under preparation: Critical Infrastructure (Emergency Powers) Bill
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine published the draft General Scheme (PDF, 353 KB) of the Deforestation and Forest Degradation Bill 2026, which is intended to give further effect to the EU Deforestation Regulation in Ireland. We look at the General Scheme in our Insights blog post: Ireland advances supply chain due diligence legislation.
METROLINK
The Government approved MetroLink to proceed to detailed tender stage. This follows a joint review by the Department of Transport and National Transport Authority of a detailed business case under Approval Gate 2 of the Infrastructure Guidelines.
CONSTRUCTION PIPELINE
The updated National Development Plan Construction Pipeline is available. It is intended to identify projects that have procurement and construction timelines over the next few years.
EU
HOUSING
The European Commission proposed an Affordable Housing Act to support Member States to address housing affordability and availability in areas facing pressures. It is intended to provide legal clarity on action that may be taken to address housing stress without infringing internal market rules. It would provide a common methodology for identifying “areas under housing stress” and set parameters around measures that may be taken in relation to short-term rentals and second homes or prolonged vacancy. The proposal will pass to the Parliament and Council for consideration.
The proposal is accompanied by a recommendation on housing affordability and supply in areas under housing stress. The recommendation is non-binding but urges Member States to take several actions against a context of increased EU funding initiatives. In areas under housing stress, authorities are encouraged to prioritise approval processes for affordable/social housing and for renovations, adaptations, extensions, repurposing and sub-divisions of existing buildings. Maximum permitting times are encouraged. Flexible procurement approaches and modern methods of construction are also encouraged. Further information is available here: New EU rules to help local authorities tackle the housing crisis.
CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1310 entered into force on 17 September 2026. It completes the framework of the revised Construction Products Regulation which concerns standards for placing construction products on the market in the EU. It establishes which assessment and verification system applies to each product family and category before technical specifications establishing product requirements or European assessment documents become applicable.
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