NTA Disputes €41 Million Overrun Claim on Contactless Ticketing System

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has disputed a Dáil Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report claiming a €41 million cost overrun on its «next-generation» contactless ticketing system. This system will allow passengers to use bank cards on buses, trains, and the Luas.

A spokesman for the NTA stated the PAC's suggestion is «incorrect and without foundation,» attributing the calculations to a «misinterpretation» of figures shared by the Department of Transport. The NTA maintains the ticketing system is «being delivered within budget and is also on schedule.» The PAC report had estimated the system could cost up to €269 million, implying a €41 million overrun.

The PAC report also highlighted other IT project overruns, including a €3.6 million Garda ombudsman case management system terminated due to contractual issues, and the Department of Children's affordable childcare scheme ICT project exceeding its original estimate by 49 percent to reach €10.6 million. A Forensic Science Ireland DNA sample management project, initially costed at €760,027, completed last year at €2.7 million, with the Department of Justice citing underestimated complexity.

Sinn Féin TD John Brady, PAC chair, called the overruns «alarming,» noting a pattern of consistent failings across government, including gaps in expertise, weak oversight, poor project management, and inadequate initial cost estimates. The report found 34 completed projects had overspent, and 33 ongoing projects were expected to do so, often due to underestimated complexity and «scope expansion.»