Railway Procurement Agency
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Railway Procurement Agency (Irish: An Ghníomhaireacht um Fháil Iarnród) is a state board in the Republic of Ireland charged with the development of light railway and metro infrastructure. It was established in December 2001 under the Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Act 2001.
Many of the staff of the agency came from the Light Rail Project Office of Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ), which dissolved upon the RPA's inception. The agency operates completely independently of CIÉ.
The RPA's main role is overseeing the operation of the Luas system. This is operated for the agency by Veolia. In addition the agency has responsibility for the planning and procurement of new rail services, in specific with reference to the Government's transport initiative Transport 21.
The agency has no role in the mainline railway system, which is operated by Iarnród Éireann (a subsidiary of CIÉ).
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[edit] Transport 21 Initiatives
The RPA will have be crucial role in implementing key rail elements of the Irish government initiative, Transport 21. It will be responsible for the planning, coordination and procurement through conventional means, and through Public Private Partnership, where necessary, of the following projects:
- Light Rail Metro North route
- Connolly Station to Point Depot extension - Red Line
- Belgard to Citywest extension - Red Line
- Stephen's Green to O'Connell Street extension - Green Line
- Sandyford to Cherrywood/Brides Glen extension - Green Line.
[edit] Controversies
[edit] Luas Red Line - Engineering
Recently, (2006)), the RPA have been criticised for allowing the Red Line to be opened, in the knowledge that parts of the track support of line were faulty in regards to track support.[1] This became public through an independent report by Austrian consultants. Though not life threatening, the supports must be replaced soon and the building contractors have agreed to do this at their own cost.
[edit] Chief Executive Dispute
Early on the CIÉ project director of Luas, Donal Mangan, took legal action as he felt that he had the right to be its chief executive.[2] For two years the agency paid his salary and gave him an office, even though the chief executive's position had been filled by Frank Allen.
