RPA and NRA to merge into the Transport Infrastructure Service (TIS)

bg07

http://www.dttas.ie/press-releases/2014/varadkar-publishes-bill-merger-national-roads-authority-railway-procurement

Don't think this was mentioned here.

Varadkar publishes Bill for merger of National Roads Authority & Railway Procurement Agency (Roads Bill 2014)

 Tuesday 14th January 2014  

Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar has published legislation for the merger of the National Roads Authority and the Railway Procurement Agency.  The proposal to merge the National Roads Authority (NRA) and Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) is consistent with Government plans for Public Sector reform and, in particular, its programme for rationalisation of State Agencies.

The amalgamation is being implemented through the dissolution of the RPA and the transferring of its functions and staff to the NRA. “The merger will add one more to the 43 State agencies already merged or amalgamated at the last count. It is expected that there will be over a hundred fewer State agencies and public bodies before the term of this Government ends. In Opposition, I authored the first policy paper, Streamlining Government, calling for a reduction in the number of State agencies which mushroomed during the years of profligate Fianna Fáil, Green, PD and Independent governments. Even though it has been a lot harder and has taken a lot longer than I predicted, we are getting there,” Minister Varadkar said. 

The newly merged agency will remain a non-commercial State body and will be given the operational title “Transport Infrastructure Service (TIS)” to better reflect its expanded functions. The new organisation will benefit from combining the technical expertise and experience available in the NRA and RPA. “The merger of the NRA and RPA will create a new streamlined organisation which will be a leader in the planning, delivery and management of transport infrastructure in Ireland, demonstrating the best and most efficient use of scarce public resources,” Minister Varadkar said. “The need for restructuring the institutional framework in the transport sector is recognised, particularly in light of the reduced capital investment programme. However, through this merger, core technical and professional skills will be retained in the public sector to support the future development of transport infrastructure.” 

The Roads Amendment Bill 2014 can be accessed at: http://www.dttas.ie/roads/publications/english/roads-bill-2014-no-1-2014

The Explanatory Memorandum for the Roads Bill 2014 can be accessed at: http://www.dttas.ie/roads/publications/english/roads-bill-2014-explanatory-memorandumEnds

monument

They should have merged both with the NTA.

And then maybe go that one step further and merged the NTA with the Department of Transport.

Telchak

I pressume the next step will be to separate the infrastructure of Iarnoroid Éireann from the services and merge that with the TIS too, leading the way to eventually open the railways to other operators.

Am I reading too much into it?

L1011

Telchak wrote: »

I pressume the next step will be to separate the infrastructure of Iarnoroid Éireann from the services and merge that with the TIS too, leading the way to eventually open the railways to other operators.

Am I reading too much into it?

No - any derrogations we have from EU rules about vertically integrated rail operators will expire.

Banjoxed

monument wrote: »

They should have merged both with the NTA.

And then maybe go that one step further and merged the NTA with the Department of Transport.

And create yet another body unaccountable to the Oireachtas just like the HSE? "This is an operational matter"..etc, ad nauseum.

Sorry Monument if I don't give you a big clap for that :rolleyes:

TheBandicoot

Banjoxed wrote: »

And create yet another body unaccountable to the Oireachtas just like the HSE? "This is an operational matter"..etc, ad nauseum.

Sorry Monument if I don't give you a big clap for that :rolleyes:

er, no it would be the opposite. Creating quangos and semi states is how to make things less accountable. Pulling everything inhouse to the Department makes it directly in the Minister's turf and should increase accountability.

monument

Banjoxed wrote: »

And create yet another body unaccountable to the Oireachtas just like the HSE? "This is an operational matter"..etc, ad nauseum.

Sorry Monument if I don't give you a big clap for that :rolleyes:

Part A of what I suggested would not "create yet another body unaccountable" -- it would merger 3 quangos currently operating, rather than just merging 2 together as is the plan.

Part B of my suggestion was to forget just merging the 3 together and rather merge or reintegrate all 3 into the ministerial department which is directly accountable to the Oireachtas.

icdg

monument wrote: »

They should have merged both with the NTA.

It is the wrong merger. The RPA should be merged with the NTA. Its only role, when not involved in development projects (which it wasn't for several years), is to act as a middleman between the NTA and and the Luas franchisee. It was actually proposed to merge it with the NTA when the DTA Bill was going through the Oireachtas but it fought a successful rearguard action against it on the basis that the development of Metro North (which never went ahead in the end) would have been irreparably slowed if the two had been merged.

This one's the wrong merger, your creating a two-headed Janus which on the one hand is supposed to be promoting the development of roads and on the other hand is meant to promoting the building of light rail and metro networks in Dublin. Its a conflict of interest of epic proportions. At least the odd name "Railway Procurement Agency" will be gone - it never had anything to do with the railways.

murphaph

TfL is responsible for roads and railways in Greater London. I don't see the problem.

Copyerselveson

The problem is that in Ireland we tend to have an "either or" rather than a "why not both" mentality. Hence lots of people pushing for a motorway from Cork to Limerick but if you suggest the reinstatement of a more direct rail line between the two cities the same people will throw their hands up in horror at the very suggestion.

murphaph

Copyerselveson wrote: »

The problem is that in Ireland we tend to have an "either or" rather than a "why not both" mentality. Hence lots of people pushing for a motorway from Cork to Limerick but if you suggest the reinstatement of a more direct rail line between the two cities the same people will throw their hands up in horror at the very suggestion.

Yeah but if the same body is charged with rail and road then you might see some common sense cooperation like in Germany where they build new roads and railways side by side where practical.

Perhaps I'm being overly optimistic.

Copyerselveson

murphaph wrote: »

Yeah but if the same body is charged with rail and road then you might see some common sense cooperation like in Germany where they build new roads and railways side by side where practical.

Perhaps I'm being overly optimistic.

You're talking a lot of sense! We should be doing exactly that.

marmurr1916

murphaph wrote: »

TfL is responsible for roads and railways in Greater London. I don't see the problem.

There's no problem in Scotland either with one agency responsible for railways and major roads.

I wish the new agency was also given responsibility for regional roads.

It would save money on admin and procurement costs and would ensure more uniform standards.

monument

marmurr1916 wrote: »

I wish the new agency was also given responsibility for regional roads.

It would save money on admin and procurement costs and would ensure more uniform standards.

Just like Irish Water....

Victor

monument wrote: »

Just like Irish Water....

On topic please ...

Moderator

Middle Man

marmurr1916 wrote: »

There's no problem in Scotland either with one agency responsible for railways and major roads.

I wish the new agency was also given responsibility for regional roads.

It would save money on admin and procurement costs and would ensure more uniform standards.

The thing is that Scotland has a history of integrated transport - Glasgow with its substantial rail (including underground) and motorway investments for example. Ireland has a history of partisan transport politics and ATM, the anti-car brigade reigns (they have being telling us that cars suck for over 20 years now) - before that, it was 'the car is King' brigade. IMO, all a shower of gombeens. Let's get in a proper team of international transport experts to oversee proper integrated transport policy here - gombeens need not apply - once implemented, then the NTA, RPA & NRA are surplus to requirements.

Victor

marmurr1916 wrote: »

I wish the new agency was also given responsibility for regional roads.

It would save money on admin and procurement costs and would ensure more uniform standards.

Doesn't the NRA have some responsibility for regional and local roads now?

tonc76

Victor wrote: »

Doesn't the NRA have some responsibility for regional and local roads now?

If built as part of a National road scheme but maintenance transfers to the LA upon completion

etchyed

Middle Man wrote: »

...ATM, the anti-car brigade reigns...

This is laughable. The amount of motorway construction that has gone on in the last 10 years clearly demonstrates that this is not the case.

EDIT: Apologies, I missed that monument has already started a new thread on this.