Irish Rail has concluded that a new IT system to control the movement of trains across the country is unlikely to be used and has written down the €50 million value of the project in its accounts.
The Irish Times understands that in its 2025 accounts, which have not yet been published but were sent to Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien in recent days, the rail company says, based on progress to date, it does not have confidence that the planned traffic management system (TMS) in its current form can be deployed on the rail network.
The TMS was to form part of an overall National Train Control Centre, which has been developed at Heuston Station in Dublin. The system, dubbed by the Minister as the brain of the railway network, has been beset by delays and cost overruns.
It is understood the accounts say the development of software for the TMS encountered significant challenges and that Irish Rail and the National Transport Authority (NTA) continue to engage with the contractor on the project, the Indra Group.
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The State-owned rail company has now written down the carrying value of the asset by €50 million to just over €100 million. It is unclear whether this €100 million figure represents the value of other aspects of the National Train Control Centre project, which includes a new building at Heuston Station, or the TMS.
Irish Rail did not comment on its 2025 accounts when approached on Wednesday.
The company said it continued to appraise its board “of significant issues and concern with the delivery of the TMS contract” by Indra under the wider National Train Control Centre project.
“In line with its obligations, the board of directors take a view on the carrying value of assets in the financial statements. The financial statements and annual report will be confirmed and published following the approval process by the Department of Transport,” it said.
“The continuing priority of the board and management of Irish Rail is the delivery of the traffic management project, and the company is engaging with the NTA to this end.”
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The Irish Times reported last month that the Irish Rail board was told in February that it would be next January at the earliest, and possibly summer 2027, before the first part of the TMS – covering the line to Rosslare – would be in place.
Official minutes show the then Irish Rail chairman, Steve Murphy, and project director Jason Lacey told the board they had concerns about the ability of the contractor to deliver the remaining seven phases of the project.
The NTA last month said its board had agreed to establish a full independent review regarding the delivery of the project.
