Project Development
Matheson has one of the largest and most experienced Project Development practices in Ireland, spanning infrastructure projects in transport (roads, bridges, airports, ports and rail), telecoms, social infrastructure, electricity generation, storage, distribution and transmission, fuel transportation, mining, waste, water and large-scale leisure facilities.
Our Project Development team is consistently mandated by domestic and international sponsors, contractors, authorities, lenders and infrastructure funds, as well as the leading project development groups of the largest international law firms, to advise on the most complex and challenging energy and infrastructure projects in the Irish market.
This focused development practice sits within a broader group of over 30 dedicated lawyers who can draw upon decades of expertise to provide commercially focused legal assistance with:
- Procurement and Bid Structuring
- Permitting and Regulation
- Contract Drafting and Negotiation
- Risk Allocation and Mitigation
- Financing and Lender Engagement
- Planning and Environmental Matters
- Tax Structuring
- Corporate Structuring
- Construction Activities
- Disputes and Claims (Before, During and After Development)
Experience Highlights
Transport
Read MoreTransport
Our Project Development specialists have advised on the majority of high-profile privately delivered transport infrastructure in Ireland over the past two decades. The team is well positioned to bring its experience to the new wave of investment in public transport (especially rail), strategic ports, airports and major arterial roads to deliver Ireland’s balanced sustainability and economic objectives. Our colleagues are already advising upon some of the major Project Ireland 2040 transport infrastructure projects which reflect the Irish Government’s new 2:1 spending ratio between public transport and roads infrastructure.
Our experience includes advising:
- Bremore Ireland Port on the development of a new deepwater multi-model port north of Dublin to serve amongst other things as an offshore wind O&M support facility.
- Real Assets Investment Management on the acquisition and financing of the operational N25 Waterford Bypass PPP demand risk toll road.
- Iridium and its affiliate Dragados on all of their PPP infrastructure developments (both under construction and operational) in Ireland (including the N25 Waterford Bypass PPP, N25 New Ross Bypass PPP, M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy PPP and M7 / M8 PPP) and upcoming National Development Plan projects.
- A multinational fuel company on its stake in a motorway service areas PPP.
- Exolum Aviation on all legal aspects of its services concession to design, build and operate fuel storage and distribution infrastructure at Dublin Airport, from concession negotiation through construction and operations, along with its provision of services at Shannon Airport.
- The largest Chinese rolling stock manufacturer on its bid for the DART Expansion, the most significant single heavy rail rolling stock procurement ever undertaken in Ireland.
- A leading manufacturer of railway rolling stock on its bid for the overhaul and re-power of all Irish Rail Class 201 locomotives.
- Go-Ahead Group plc on its successful tender to operate orbital bus routes in Dublin. This project was the first private sector bus route tender to be brought to market by Ireland’s National Transport Authority.
Social Infrastructure
Read MoreSocial Infrastructure
The private sector plays a vital role in financing, building and operating critical social infrastructure across Ireland, including social housing, nursing homes, primary care centres and education facilities. Our Project Development team has the depth of experience to advise private sector stakeholders on bespoke legal solutions to the key risks that typically arise on social infrastructure developments.
Our experience includes advising:
- A sponsor on its bid for the Dublin Family Courts Complex PPP.
- Plenary Europe as sponsor on its bid for the Irish Social Housing PPP – Bundle Three.
- JJ Rhatigan & Company on its successful bid (and preferred bidder negotiations) with Macquarie Capital for the Higher Education PPP – Bundle One to design, finance, build, operate and maintain new educational facilities at six higher level education campuses across Ireland.
- A construction joint venture on its bid for the €150 million Community Nursing Units PPP.
- An Asian financial institution on its potential participation in the Social Housing Bundle 2 PPP project, including in relation to complex financial participation matters.
- Lenders to the Eriugena consortium on the financing and construction of the DIT Grangegorman East and Central Quads PPP project.
- The FM provider to the successful bidder for the Primary Care Centres PPP, Ireland’s first primary healthcare PPP.
- Lenders and sponsors on Schools Bundle PPPs 1, 2, 4 and 5 (including on-going operational advice).
- A lender on the Charlemont Street Housing PPP.
Digital and Telecoms
Read MoreDigital and Telecoms
Digital infrastructure and telecommunications remains a resilient and high growth practice area for our Project Development colleagues, who have most recently advised on fibre rollouts, tower portfolio developments and acquisitions, data centres (including data centre power procurement) and wholesale high capacity telecoms operations. See Telecommunications and Data Centres for more details.
Our experience includes advising:
- Cellnex SA on the sale of its Irish telecoms towers business (with almost 2,000 sites) in a transaction worth just under €1 billion.
- Lenders and funds on their financing and acquisition of Irish operational and under construction hyperscale / colo data centres including in relation to development and regulatory matters.
- Asterion on its acquisition of 80% of the National Broadband Plan project, a €3 billion State intervention to deliver high speed broadband (primarily by FTTH) to all underserved homes and business in Ireland, along with on-going advice on the operation and roll-out of the National Broadband Plan.
- Lenders on the financing of a number of Irish data centres operated and developed by K2 Data Centres (a Kuok Group Company).
- The John Laing, SSE and e|net consortium (later Granahan McCourt) on all legal aspects of its successful bid for the National Broadband Plan.
- A multinational telecoms tower owner and operator on its bid for an extensive portfolio of eir towers (with associated services agreements).
- A number of the world’s largest technology companies on the development and construction of their Irish data centres.
- A number of investors and lenders in relation to data centre investments.
- e|net on its provision of infrastructure services and access for the National Broadband Plan and its provision of wholesale telecommunications services to its retail service provider customers pursuant to its Metropolitan Area Networks concession with the Irish Government (including advising upon its original successful bid for that concession).
- A North American data centre developer and operator together with its Irish development partner on the permitting, development, potential financing and operation of a speculative data centre complex in Dublin.
- American multinational company Equinix, who specializes in internet connection and related services, on the expansion of its existing portfolio of data centres in Dublin.
- A number of large multinational technology companies and renewable energy developers in relation to the drafting and negotiation of corporate power purchase agreements (including the first to be announced in the Irish market) and on renewable energy procurement strategies, trading structures and agreements.
Public Private Partnerships (PPP)
Read MorePublic Private Partnerships (PPP)
The Irish PPP market remains particularly active and the Irish authorities strongly support the use of PPP structures for the delivery of critical infrastructure across all sectors, particularly transport and social infrastructure (housing, healthcare and education). Our Project Development team has advised on the vast majority of significant PPP transactions since the model was first used in Ireland almost twenty years ago, allowing them to add significant value for clients by identifying and mitigating key legal risks (as well as suggesting legal mitigations for commercial risks) for these complex long term multi-party projects.
Our experience includes advising:
- A sponsor on its bid for the Dublin Family Courts Complex PPP.
- Plenary Europe as sponsor on its bid for the Irish Social Housing PPP – Bundle Three.
- JJ Rhatigan on all legal aspects of its successful bid with Macquarie and Sodexo for the Higher Education Bundle 1 PPP.
- Real Assets Investment Management on the acquisition and financing of the operational N25 Waterford Bypass PPP demand risk toll road.
- A construction joint venture on its bid for the €150 million Community Nursing Units PPP.
- Iridium and its affiliate Dragados on all of their PPP infrastructure developments (both under construction and operational) in Ireland (including the N25 Waterford Bypass PPP, N25 New Ross Bypass PPP, M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy PPP and M7 / M8 PPP) and upcoming National Development Plan projects.
- An East Asian financial institution on its potential participation in the Social Housing Bundle 2 PPP project, including in relation to complex financial participation matters.
- A multinational fuel company on its stake in a motorway service areas PPP.
- Lenders to the Eriugena consortium on the financing and construction of the DIT Grangegorman East and Central Quads PPP project.
- The sponsor in relation to all aspects of the Greystones Harbour PPP project, including the development of a new harbour and marina coupled with commercial and residential development.
- Lenders and sponsors on Schools Bundle PPPs 1, 2, 4 and 5 (including on-going operational advice).
- A lender on the Charlemont Street Housing and Mixed Use Development PPP.
Large Scale Mixed Use
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Large Scale Mixed Use
Our Project Development team brings together expertise in construction, procurement, real estate, infrastructure, disputes and finance disciplines to help clients bring all aspects of large-scale mixed use developments to fruition.
Our experience includes advising:
- Oxley Holdings Limited in relation to its development of Dublin Landings (capex circa €300 million).
- On behalf of US developer in relation to a residential, retail and hotel / student accommodation development in Dublin (capex of €1 billion).
- Hines on all legal aspects of its development of a new town at Cherrywood in Dublin (to include transport and utility infrastructure, residential, commercial and retail elements) as well as Hines’ other mixed use high density developments in Dublin.
- Ballymore-Oxley on all legal aspects of their development of Dublin Landings and Connolly Quarter (both high density urban core residential, commercial and retail).
- The sponsor in relation to all aspects of the Greystones Harbour PPP project, including the development of a new harbour and marina coupled with commercial and residential development.
- A lender on the Charlemont Street Housing and Mixed Use Development PPP.
Energy, Climate Action and Sustainability
Read MoreEnergy, Climate Action and Sustainability
Matheson’s Project Development specialists have played a major part in Ireland’s recent surge in projects with climate action and sustainability objectives. The Irish Government’s Climate Action Plan and Project 2040 infrastructure plans prioritise investment and policy support in projects with long term environmental benefits. Our team helps the private sector to play its part. Some selected recent experience highlights are below (see Energy, Infrastructure and Construction for more detailed information).
Our experience includes advising:
- An international energy company on its bid for a majority stake in the Simple Blue floating offshore wind platform, an international multi-GW FOW development pipeline.
- Project shareholders, project companies / sponsors and contractors on offshore wind farms in Phase 1, Phase 2 and the ‘future framework’ of the Irish offshore wind regulatory regime on the regulation, financing and development of their offshore wind farms (including joint venture formation and corporate transactions).
- EirGrid on its partnership arrangements with French transmission system operator RTE for the development and operation of the Celtic Interconnector between Ireland and France.
- Rabobank as lender to Ib Vogt / Highfield on the development and financing of four Irish solar farms (Rathnaskilloge, Gaskinstown, Clonin North and North Arklow) with a combined generating capacity of around 280MW.
- Bord na Móna on the development of various wind farms and energy storage facilities throughout Ireland.
- One of Europe’s largest solar park contractors on its EPC and O&M contracts for 400MW+ of Irish solar parks.
- GLIL Infrastructure on its acquisition of the 453MW Rathcool Portfolio of 11 Irish onshore wind farms in the largest ever Irish onshore wind farm acquisition transaction by enterprise value (including detailed project contract due diligence and transaction document mitigations).
- The Department of Environment, Climate and Communications on all aspects of the decommissioning of the Kinsale Head and Seven Heads offshore gas fields.
- Hanwha Energy Corporation and its local Irish partner on the development of a 200MW Battery Energy Storage System project in the mid-west region of Ireland (this is the one of the largest projects of its kind in Europe and is required to facilitate a higher share of renewable electricity generation on Ireland’s grid).
- The Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, on the drafting of the RESS Terms & Conditions (providing a unique legal adviser insight into the fundamental design and operation of RESS, Ireland’s renewable electricity subsidy scheme).
- An Investor in relation to a proposed 500MW electricity interconnector between Ireland and Wales.
- Statkraft on its acquisition of a large battery energy storage project.
- ING Bank, Hamburg Commercial Bank, Rabobank, Aviva Investors and other domestic and international lenders / investors on their due diligence and financing of over 1GW of onshore wind farms.
- A number of large multinational technology companies and renewable energy developers in relation to the drafting and negotiation of corporate power purchase agreements (including the first to be announced in the Irish market) and on renewable energy procurement strategies, trading structures and agreements.
News and Insights
Accolades
“The Matheson team is very well embedded in the infrastructure sector in Ireland and has a great depth of experience to draw upon from a long history of projects.”
Chambers Europe
2025
Our Team
Conor is a partner in Matheson’s Energy, Infrastructure and Construction Group.
Conor advises on large-scale infrastructure, construction and energy projects, with specialised experience in contract negotiation, risk allocation, development structuring, financing, transactional matters (including due diligence and transaction document negotiation), corporate law matters and operational advice (including regulatory issues and operational problem solving).
Conor’s primary focus is on development and transactional projects (greenfield and brownfield), particularly concessions, PPPs, debt-financed and similar private sector-led development structures. Conor works with clients such as funders, sponsors, contractors and operational teams.
Owen is a partner in the Energy, Infrastructure and Construction Group.
He advises on project development, project financing, energy M&A and energy regulatory matters.
He has experience advising on all types of energy projects, including wind (onshore and offshore), solar, energy storage, biomass, hybrid projects, renewable gas and conventional generation.
Nicola Dunleavy is “not only a skilled lawyer but also has strong emotional intelligence”.
Nicola Dunleavy is a partner in Matheson’s Disputes and Investigations Group, with a broad commercial litigation, investigations and arbitration practice. In 2021 she was appointed by the Irish Government as a Senior Counsel.
Nicola is represents clients in complex, multi-jurisdictional commercial disputes, including arising from mergers and acquisitions and EU law, and in constitutional litigation. Sectors include technology and telecommunications, pharmaceutical, chemicals, food and drink, waste, water, energy, mining, and transport.
Leonie Dunne is a partner in the Commercial Real Estate Group at Matheson and a member of the firm’s Development Land Group.
Leonie practises in all aspects of commercial real estate law, advising on acquisitions, disposals (assets and loans), leasing and licensing of properties. She has a broad range of experience advising on the development, sale and leasing of mixed use and residential developments.
Garret is a partner and head of both Matheson’s Energy, Natural Resources and Utilities Group and Projects and Infrastructure Group. Garret is also a member of Matheson’s ESG Advisory Group.
He advises on all aspects of energy, natural resources, utilities and infrastructure projects and project financing, from PPPs to privately-financed electricity and gas developments and privatisations as well as electricity, gas and telecommunications network infrastructure.
Garret specialises in particular in the areas of electricity and gas market regulation and trading.
Rhona Henry is a partner in Matheson’s Energy, Infrastructure and Construction Group.
Rhona’s expertise is in the build out of multiplex developments in leading developer roles, capital projects (both owner and owner / occupier led), construction / development financing, public-private partnership construction specialism, together with a regulatory advice practice. Rhona is mandated by the largest developers, investors and financiers operating in Ireland.
Ruadhán is a partner in Matheson’s Disputes and Investigations Group, with a broad commercial litigation, arbitration and permitting and environmental / ESG practice.
He advises clients on the avoidance, management and resolution of a wide variety of disputes including in connection with commercial, real estate, construction, tax and competition matters. For permitting and environmental matters he supports clients in bringing projects through the entire life-cycle, from concept through to operation and disposal (including advising on surrender / closure requirements or sales as appropriate). He has also advised on permitting and environmental issues in some of the largest transactions in Ireland in recent years.
Kate is a partner in the Competition and Regulation Group.
Prior to joining Matheson, Kate worked at a Magic Circle law firm in London.
Kate’s competition practice involves advising clients on merger control, behavioural competition issues (including investigations of alleged collusion and abuse of dominance), State aid, the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, Foreign Investment Screening regimes & public procurement competition issues.
Cillian is a partner in the Commercial Real Estate Department at Matheson and is a member of the CRE Secured Lending and Insolvency Group at Matheson.
He is an accomplished and commercially focused lawyer and practises in all aspects of commercial property law.
Cillian advises both domestic and international lenders on all property aspects of real estate security from the taking of security through to the enforcement of same. He also has considerable experience in general commercial property work including acquisitions and disposals and commercial landlord and tenant work.
Hilda is a partner in the Commercial Real Estate Department at Matheson, with extensive experience in transactional and advisory work across all sectors.
Her experience includes sales and acquisitions; commercial leasing including retail, office and industrial leasing; development projects in respect of office, industrial and data centre buildings; and landlord and tenant matters.
