Members of the Dáil Public Accounts Committee have expressed concern about the ability of an IT contractor to deliver a planned new €200 million-plus contactless transport ticketing system in light of delays and overruns associated with a separate project for the rail network.
Indra, the contractor developing the new next generation ticketing system for buses, trains and Luas to replace the current Leap card system, is also working on the train traffic management system for Irish Rail.
Committee members on Thursday expressed deep concern at revelations set out in minutes of the Irish Rail board in February that senior figures had doubts that Indra could deliver the full project.
Committee chairman John Brady of Sinn Féin and Grace Boland of Fine Gael maintained documents provided by the National Transport Authority were “more rosy” about the train traffic management system than those set out by Irish Rail.
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The committee agreed to write to Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien setting out its concern about the train traffic management system.
Boland said the same contractor was involved in developing the next generation ticketing system which had a much bigger budget.
“There can be no cost overrun with this project”, she said.
The Irish Times reported in February that estimates suggested the new system for making contactless ticket payments across the State’s public transport services could cost almost €270 million.
Development of the new IT system to manage the movement of trains across the rail network – which has been beset by delays and cost overruns – is “a slowly developing shambles”, Brady said.
Speaking in advance of the hearing Brady warned that without the immediate intervention by the Minister for Transport, the whole issue “risks descending into farce”.
Over €31 million has already been spent on the project, known as the train traffic management system. However, the first phase of the system – covering the line to Rosslare – may not come into operation until summer of next year. It will be several more years before other elements of the system are introduced.
The Irish Times reported on Wednesday that, at a meeting in February, the then chairman of the State-owned rail operator, Steve Murphy, and project director Jason Lacey told the board they had concerns about the ability of IT contractor, Indra Group to deliver the remaining seven phases of the project.
The National Transport Authority also told the committee of public accounts in recent days that it was likely to cost more than the €36 million agreed in 2024 to deliver the full train management system.
Indra told The Irish Times in a statement on Tuesday that it was working in close partnership with Irish Rail and remained on track against agreed milestones in line with the latest baseline plan currently in force.
The train traffic management system, dubbed by Minister for Transport, Darragh O’Brien as “the brain of the railway network”, forms a key part of a €200 million national train control centre being developed at Heuston Station.
However, development of software for the train management system has been beset by delays.
Speaking in advance of the PAC hearing on Thursday, Brady said: “My jaw was on the floor as I read the minutes of the Irish Rail board meetings.”
Under initial proposals following tendering, the traffic management system was targeted to be commissioned in 2024, with an associated target cost of €19.5 million.
“Confirmation that over €31.5 million has already been spent on this IT system, with not even the first phase completed, is nothing short of staggering,” he said.
