EY CEO Outlook: Leading Ireland’s Water Strategy with Niall Gleeson, CEO of Uisce Éireann

The EY Podcast

Niall Gleeson was 13 years old when he realised he wanted to be an engineer. Influenced by his grandfather, whose love of tinkering and ham radio sparked Niall's curiosity for how things worked, he developed a passion for taking things apart and understanding the mechanics behind them.

After earning his engineering degree from Bolton Street College in Dublin, Niall began his career with General Electric in the United States, where he installed gas turbines and power plants. He went on to lead major infrastructure projects across the UK, and Asia before moving back to Ireland to work with Shanahan Engineering.

In this episode of the EY CEO Outlook podcast, Niall Gleeson, Chief Executive Officer of Uisce Éireann, joins host Richard Curran to discuss the major challenges of managing Ireland’s water infrastructure. Niall reflects on his career journey, the infrastructure issues facing the country, and his vision for the future of Uisce Éireann.

They also discuss:

- Infrastructure Challenges: €60 billion in investment is needed to bring Ireland’s water infrastructure up to modern standards.

- River Shannon to Dublin Pipeline: 50% of the population will benefit from it. A vital solution for ensuring water supply not only to Dublin but also to towns along the way.

- Network Management: Ireland's 64,000 km water network had a leakage rate of 48-50%, now reduced to 31% in Dublin and 37% nationwide.

- Leadership approach: The importance of active listening and giving people time to find their solutions.

- Private vs Public Sector: difference between the sectors i.e taking on new tasks often means stopping old ones.

- Community Focus: Uisce Éireann’s vision is to deliver for communities.

- Housing Crisis and Infrastructure Capacity: Currently, the system can support around 30,000 new homes per year, which may not be sufficient for future housing needs.

- Water Conservation: Protecting Ireland's water resources and using them responsibly.