CIÉ opposes authority’s sweeping transport powers

THE powers of the National Transport Authority (NTA), which has extensive control over transport providers, are strongly opposed by CIÉ chairman Dr John Lynch who claims the new super authority will increase costs and delay the delivery of key transport projects.

Documents seen by the Irish Examiner show that Dr Lynch warned the Government in October 2006 that the proposed Dublin Transport Authority (subsequently renamed the NTA) was “at variance with international management best practice”.

The documents reveal that former Transport Minister Martin Cullen bowed to pressure from the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) against the Government’s plans to absorb it into the NTA.