Mini-CTC inquiry cannot complete its work

The Oireachtas committee established to investigate the massive cost of a CIE rail signalling system has announced that it cannot complete its inquiry because of legal challenges.

The committee was investigating the Mini-CTC system, which had a budget of €18m, but was still unfinished after the cost spiraled to €65m.

The inquiry suffered a setback last year when the High Court ruled, in a challenge to the Abbeylara inquiry, that Oireachtas committees have no power to make findings which could harm the reputation of a third party.

The High Court has also granted a judicial review into the committee’s right to investigate the matter after a challenge was launched by the wife of the late CIE director Michael McDonnell, who said her husband’s reputation was being damaged by the probe.