Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This Bill provides for the dissolution of the RPA and the transfer of its functions, staff, property and liabilities to the NRA. The newly expanded NRA will be renamed the Transport Infrastructure Service to reflect its expanded functions and the fact that it is the result of a merger of two bodies rather than a takeover. This change is consistent with the Government's plans for public sector reform and, in particular, its programme for rationalising State agencies. Implications of the Bill include the prospect of at least €3 million in savings.

The new organisation will benefit considerably by having access to a range of specialist and technical expertise. The technical areas of expertise include project management, transport planning, negotiation and management of PPP contracts, engineering design and advice, environment procurement and property acquisition and management. There will be scope for greater efficiencies in procurement and the new body will be encouraged to seek opportunities to provide technical support, advice and services for other bodies on a commercial basis. The RPA has already generated an income of €1 million through the international contracts it has won.

The merger will deliver a streamlined organisation that will be a leader in the planning, delivery and management of transport infrastructure and will be able to demonstrate the best and most efficient use of scarce public resources. The need to restructure the institutional framework in the transport sector is recognised, particularly in the light of the reduced capital investment programme. However, the merger will allow core technical staff and professional experts to be retained in the public sector to support the future development of transport infrastructure. A number of projects are proceeding within the context of the Government's five year capital plan for 2012 to 2016.

The primary functions of the RPA are to secure the provision of such light railways and metro railway infrastructures as may be determined by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport; monitor and publish regular reports on the safety of light railway and metro infrastructure; enter into agreements with other persons to secure the provision of such railway infrastructure, whether by means of concessions, joint ventures or public partnerships; acquire and facilitate the development of land adjacent to railway works, subject to an application for a railway order under the relevant Acts, where such acquisition and development contributes to the economic viability of the works; and pursue commercial opportunities in offering advisory services, particularly in the international market. The primary functions of the NRA are to secure the provision of a safe and efficient network of national roads; exercise overall responsibility for planning, construction and maintenance of national roads; prepare or arrange for the preparation of road designs, maintenance programmes and schemes for the provision of traffic signs on national roads; secure and carry out construction and maintenance works on national roads; allocate grants in respect of national roads; and carry out training and research or testing activities in regard to any of its functions.

This merger has been recommended for financial and other reasons. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has stated the merger will allow the new organisation to become a leader in the planning, delivery and management of transport infrastructure in Ireland. The 2009 McCarthy report on public service numbers and expenditure recommended that the RPA and the NRA be merged into a single entity in the light of a significant overlap between the two bodies in terms of the services they delivered on behalf of the State and the scale and expertise of their staff in capital project management, procurement procedures and PPP contract management. The merger of the two bodies will create a single entity with responsibility for the procurement of all major rail and national road infrastructure.

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