The 3rd National Infrastructure Summit

December 10, 2008. Croke Park Convention Centre, Dublin


CHALLENGING TIMES: CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS IN DELIVERING WORLD CLASS INFRASTRUCTURE

Taoiseach Brian Cowen has clearly indicated that difficult adjustments lie ahead for the public finances. Though investment in key infrastructure initiatives and capital funding remains a priority, now more than ever the government must ensure that we achieve value for money across all areas of infrastructure and transport delivery in order to secure long-term growth and prosperity. Continued investment in major core economic infrastructure is paramount to sustained growth and future competitiveness. This year’s infrastructure summit will examine where the priorities now lie for critical infrastructure development. After Budget 2009, where now are the NDP’s priorities to secure Ireland’s future competitiveness? The deterioration in the government’s finances is forcing them to fund a larger part of planned NDP capital spending from borrowing. We’ll be examining closely what that borrowing requirement will be and what it will be invested in…

Delegate Profile

This summit has been researched and designed for decision-makers in the planning, delivery and financing of public infrastructure such as:

• Planners and strategists
• Policy and decision-makers
• CEOs/MDs
• Finance Directors
• Project Developers
• Economists/Investment Analysts
• Bankers/Financiers
• lPublic Sector Managers
• Private sector contractors/service providers
• Financial/Legal Advisors
• lRegulatory Bodies
• Elected Representatives

Delegate feedback from our last Infrastructure Summit Based on delegates surveyed at the National Infrastructure Summit 2007:

• An average 97% of respondents rated the summit as very good or excellent.
• An average 94% of respondents agreed with the statement
• “The conference represented a good investment of time and money.”  100% of respondents agreed with the statement “I found the conference to be very informative.”
  

Speakers

Mr Brian Lenihan, TD, Minister for Finance

Brian Lenihan was appointed as Minister for Finance on May 7, 2008.
He has served as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from June 14, 2007 to May 2008. Prior to that he had been Minister of State with responsibility for Children at the Department of Health and Children, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, and the Department of Education and Science.
He was first elected to the Dáil in April 1996 in the by-election caused by the death of his father, Brian, who had been a deputy in Dublin West since 1977. During the 28th Dáil, Brian Lenihan was chairperson of the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution which considered changes in the abortion laws. He was also a member of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
He is a son of Brian Lenihan, former Tánaiste and a Minister in various portfolios, who was a Dáil deputy for Roscommon-Leitrim from 1961 to 1973 and for Dublin West from 1977 to 1995. He is a brother of Conor Lenihan, Dáil deputy for Dublin South-West, and a nephew of Mary O'Rourke, Dáil deputy for Longford–Westmeath, who has held various ministerial posts. He is a grandson of Patrick Lenihan, Dáil deputy from 1965 to 1970.
Brian Murphy, Deputy Director, National Development Finance Agency Brian joined the NDFA in November 2007. He spent most of his previous career in the banking industry, having held senior positiBN AMRO and CitiBank in Treasury, Capital MarketsCredit in Ireland and overseas. Ronnie O’Toole, Chief Economist, National Irish Bank
Dr. Ronnie O'Toole joined National Irish Bank in August 2007. In this role he is responsible for forecasting and analysis of the Irish economy. He publishes a quarterly index of inward investment, quarterly economic review, and recently published a report, ‘The Emerald Isle: the Wealth of Modern Ireland’ on the evolution of household wealth in Ireland.
Formerly a Senior Economist with Forfás, Dr. O’Toole has published a number of articles and reports on Ireland’s trade, productivity and competitiveness performance. He recently published ‘Perspectives on Irish Productivity’, a book exploring aspects of Ireland’s productivity challenge and containing 25 papers written by leading economic and management thinkers from Ireland and abroad. He has a Ph.D. in Economics from Trinity College, Dublin.

Pat McArdle, Group Chief Economist, Ulster Bank

Pat McArdle, Group Chief Economist, has worked in Ulster Bank since 1996 where he is responsible for forecasting and analysis of the Republic and Northern Ireland economies. Prior to that, he was Chief Economist in NCB Stockbrokers and also served as a public servant in the Department of Finance and the European Commission.
Pat is a Fellow of the Institute of Bankers, Council Member of the Foundation for Fiscal Studies, Member of the Securities Institute and the Financial Regulator’s Consultative Industry Panel. He has a masters degree in Econometrics from University College Dublin and is a Qualified Financial Adviser (QFA).

Bruno Herbots, Partner, Beauchamps Solicitors

Bruno Herbots is a partner at Beauchamps Solicitors and head of their Construction and Procurement Group. Bruno qualified in 1990 and has been recommended by Chambers Global, the world's leading legal directory for lawyers, as being ‘top-notch on construction and procurement matters’. Bruno is a lecturer at Trinity College Dublin (postgraduate Diploma in Construction Law and Contract Administration) and University College Dublin (postgraduate Diploma in Arbitration).

Tom Parlon, CEO, Construction Industry Federation

Tom Parlon was educated at Coolderry National School, Roscrea CBS, and Gurteen Agricultural College. He was elected to Dáil Éireann in the 2002 General Election as a Progressive Democrat TD for Laois-Offaly. He was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Finance and served from 2002 to 2007.
Previous to being a politician Tom Parlon held a number of senior positions in the Irish Farmers Association, including Deputy President (1991–1993) and President (1997–2001).
He joined the Construction Industry Federation as Director General Designate on October 1, 2007, taking over as Director General on January 1, 2008.

Paul Sweetman, Director, Transport & PPPs, IBEC

Paul Sweetman is IBEC’s Transport & PPP Policy Executive, coordinating the work of the IBEC Transport Council and PPP Council. Previous briefs in IBEC have included environment and local government policy. Prior to joining IBEC, Paul worked as an engineer in Northern Ireland and the United States.
Jimmy Quinn, President, Irish Road Haulage\ Enda Connellan, Chief Executive of Dublin Port Company
Enda Connellan is Chief Executive of Dublin Port Company which is responsible for managing Ireland’s premier port. Located at the heart of Ireland’s largest market, Dublin Port helps importers and exporters access the Greater Dublin Area in the most efficient way while also being positioned at the hub of the national road and rail network. The 30 million tonnes of trade that Dublin Port handles annually accounts for over two-thirds of Ireland’s containerised trade.
Since his appointment as Chief Executive in 1994, Enda has overseen a significant turnaround in the fortunes of Dublin Port Company. Over the past fifteen years he has steered the Port Company from loss making to profitability, introduced competition within Dublin Port which remains the sole Irish port with competing terminals, reduced port charges, invested over ?1/4 billion in port infrastructure, built a pension fund of ?200 million and became the first and only state port company to pay a dividend to its shareholder. The significant investment has ensured that Dublin Port has been able to provide in-time capacity to cater for the fivefold increase in trade that the port now handles. Enda Connellan has also played a pivotal role in establishing Dublin as an attractive cruise liner destination. This trade now contributes almost ?50 million to the local economy in tourism spend adding to the contribution of the 1.3 million ferry passengers using Dublin Port annually.
representative on matters relating to motoring, transport, consumer issues, road safety and the environment.
He is a well-known media commentator on transport matters and a familiar voice to radio listeners since his days as a traffic reporter for AA Roadwatch. He was educated at St. Michael’s College iblin. Matti Lahdenranta, MD, Helsinki City Transport (HKL), Finland
M.Sc. Matti Lahdenranta has worked as the Managing Director of Helsinki City Transport since 2003. Mr Lahdenranta has a long career in the public transport business. Previously he managed Helsinki City Transport’s Bus Unit in 2001-2002. From 1989 to1996 he worked as the Managing Director of one of the biggest bus companies in Finland,Vantaan Liikenne Oy / Oy Linjebuss Finland Ab and from 1984 to 1989 as Managing Director in a smaller bus company Porin Linjat Oy. Before 1984 and from 1996-2000 Mr Lahdenranta worked as a consultant, mainly focusing on public transport issues. From 1996 to 2000 his consulting projects also included several strategic development projects for organisations in various business areas. The challenges of Lahdenranta are today connected to reorganising the public transport system in the Helsinki region. The decision has already been made to merge municipal Helsinki City Transport and regional Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council into one organisation which will be responsible for planning, tendering and developing public transport in the Helsinki region (1,3 million). The new organization will be active from the start of 1.1.2010.

Peter Brennan, Managing Director of EPS Consulting, is Chairman of the Dublin Chamber Transport and Infrastructure Committee

He will be Chamber President in 2010. His interest in infrastructure dates from his time in Brussels as IBEC’s Director for European Affairs when the issue of EU funding for infrastructure was to the fore. He played a key role in getting PPPs onto the public policy agenda.
His company advises many clients in the construction and related services industries, in particular in relation to bid management. He was the lead author of the recently published report ‘Ireland’s Climate Change Challenge’ and is author of a book, also recently published, ‘The EU Negotiations that Shaped Modern Ireland.’ He has a Ph.D in European Policy from UCD

Colm Holmes

Colm Holmes is the CEO of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Ireland (CILTI). The Institute is a professional body whose mission is to advance and promote the science and art of logistics and transport. The Institute offers training and education and is also the appointed agent for the Department of Transport and the HSA in providing the CPC, ADR and DGSA examinations. With over 30,000 members worldwide in 30 countries the Institute plays a leading role in developing professionalism in our industry. Prior to joining the Institute, Colm worked for the CRH and Folens Groups.