Stormont’s Department of Finance is to bring forward proposals to improve transparency in relation to major capital projects following concerns over the viability of several multi-million-pound building schemes.
he news has led to calls for a new commission to set out a 30-year infrastructure vision for the region.
It comes after the Belfast Telegraph revealed last month that Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon had refused to share a report into of the viability of plans for the York Street Interchange scheme with Belfast City Council, one of the key partners in the project.
Some unionist MLAs have also voiced alarm at the rising price of the Casement Park redevelopment, which has cost the taxpayer almost £11m to date despite ground not even being broken.
Finance Minister Conor Murphy said work is ongoing to improve issues regarding major capital projects.
“The Procurement Board is currently developing detailed proposals to improve the collection, analysis and reporting on the performance of major capital projects,” he said.
"This reporting will be linked to the Executive’s next investment strategy.
“The proposals will be discussed by the Procurement Board at its meeting in September.
"Following this I will bring forward recommendations for approval by the Executive.”
Alliance infrastructure spokesman Andrew Muir said: “I welcome that the Procurement Board is bringing forward proposals, and will be following up to make sure they are presented to the Executive as soon as possible.
"Our track record for delivering major capital projects in Northern Ireland is poor, so measures for greater transparency and accountability are an important step in the right direction.
“Alongside the new investment strategy, the Minister for Finance should also be advocating for an infrastructure commission, which would set a 30-year vision for infrastructure in Northern Ireland. Infrastructure investment is critical for the green, equitable and prosperous society envisaged in the Alliance Party’s Green New Deal.”
As well as concerns regarding the York Street Interchange project and the Casement Park redevelopment, the Northern Ireland Audit Office last month published a report that concluded it is not possible to verify that two major broadband projects here, which received £35.1m public subsidy, achieved value for money.
The report found that one of the schemes, which was supposed to deliver broadband to 117,600 properties, only improved broadband access in 37,500 premises.
In addition to competition issues, Auditor General Kieran Donnelly raised concerns the reliance on the contractor to self-certify that costs were “internally consistent and consistent with its commercial investment” was not an adequate control.
In 2019 the Audit Office issued a report on major, high-priority capital projects, which found that such schemes were not meeting their cost and timescale targets and a “change of approach” was needed.
Mr Donnelly said at the time: “Major capital projects are complex, and delivery problems are not unique to Northern Ireland.
"That said, it is disappointing that while some projects are delivered on time and within budget, many projects suffer significant cost overruns and time delays.
“Even flagship projects identified as the Northern Ireland Executive’s highest priority, and with funding secured over a longer period, have not met their original delivery targets.
“Existing, cumbersome governance and delivery structures within the Northern Ireland public sector can be a barrier to achieving value for money.
"I believe there is merit in considering alternative models, sufficiently resourced with specialist staff, to help improve future delivery.”