Rail agency criticised over Dublin metro

A PD senator has called on the Government to instruct the Rail Procurement Agency (RPA) to employ outside help for the Dublin…

A PD senator has called on the Government to instruct the Rail Procurement Agency (RPA) to employ outside help for the Dublin metro project, claiming it is incapable of managing the project alone.

Senator Tom Morrissey made his remarks after the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, asked the RPA to revise its plans once more, after it produced a proposal for a €2.4 billion metro system.

This replaced its initial proposal for a €4 million project.

However, Mr Brennan is unhappy with plans for linking the metro with existing rail services and the Luas light rail system currently under construction.

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The RPA's new proposal did not link with either the existing Tara Street station or Connolly station.

Instead, it proposed a "travelator" linking a stop in D'Olier Street with Tara Street station, a move that would save significantly on cost.

Senator Morrissey said Mr Brennan was right to send the RPA back to the drawing board, "but he must now go one step further and insist that they employ outside help - most notably from Prof Melis, the head of the Metro de Madrid, and his world-class team".