Public Accounts Committee to Meet Over €50 Million Irish Rail IT Project Write-Off
The Public Accounts Committee will hold an urgent meeting concerning the €50 million write-off of a failed Irish Rail IT project. The project, a critical traffic management system, saw over €31.5 million spent without completion. Concerns over safety, contractor confidence, and accountability have been raised by committee members.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will seek an urgent meeting with the Department of Transport, the National Transport Authority (NTA), Irish Rail, and the Chief Information Officer regarding a €50 million write-off of a failed Irish Rail IT project.
The project, a planned traffic management system, was initially targeted for commissioning in 2024 with a €19.5 million cost. However, over €31.5 million has been spent, with not even the first phase completed. The NTA described this system, intended to regulate train movements across the state, as a «critical component» of the National Train Control Centre project at Heuston Station.
PAC Chair John Brady (Sinn Féin) stated that Irish Rail minutes showed the project manager had «zero confidence» in the Spanish-based contractor, Indra Group, which received the contract in 2020. Brady called the issue a «national scandal» raising «serious safety concerns.» Paul McAuliffe (Fianna Fáil) expressed disappointment that the news broke via a newspaper rather than official correspondence.
Grace Boland (Fine Gael) highlighted that «warning signs were there» and that Irish Rail has «no confidence in this system,» particularly concerning safety. She requested Irish Rail attend a voluntary meeting to provide answers. Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fáil) noted the significant €50 million cost during a cost-of-living crisis, while James Geoghan (Fine Gael) emphasized the committee's duty to identify accountability. Aidan Farrelly (Social Democrats) warned of the Irish State's inability to manage IT projects.