Railway Procurement Agency (Irish: An Ghníomhaireacht um Fháil Iarnród) is a state board in the Republic of Ireland charged with the developement of light railway and metro infrastructure. It was established in December 2001 under the Transport (Railway Infrastructure) Act 2001.

Much of the staff of the agency came from the Light Rail Project Office of Coras Iompair Éireann which was dissolved upon the RPA's inception; however, the agency operates completely separate from CIÉ.

The agency has proved controversial during its short life. Early on in its life legal action was taken against the Agency by the CIÉ project director of Luas, Donal Mangan, who felt that he had the right to be chief executive of the agency. For two years the agency paid for his salary and gave him an office even though the chief executive's position had been filled by Frank Allen. The agency has also come under criticism for the cost of the Luas light rail system. This had led to calls for the planned Dublin Metro system to be developed by a different agency.

The agency's main role is overseeing the operation of the Luas system. This is operated for the agency by Connex.

Despite its name, the agency has no role in the mainline railway system, operated by Iarnrod Éireann (a subsidiary of CIÉ).

External link

• Railway Procurment Agency