Irish Rail needs a full time executive chairman in view of the scale of transformation at the State-owned company, its outgoing chair told Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien in his letter of resignation.
The Irish Times reported in February that Steve Murphy had stepped down as chairman after two years in the role. He was due to serve as non-executive chairman of the rail company until 2029.
In his formal letter of resignation to the Minister, Murphy said: “As you know, I absolutely love the work we are doing and it is so important for the ongoing success of the country.
“However, it is my view that the scale of transformation Irish Rail is going through needs an exec, rather than non-exec chair to provide the appropriate level of oversight and support. At the same time, I respect that this is not a role that currently exists, or indeed that I was recruited into.”
Murphy said he was resigning from the post of chairman “with a heavy heart”.
“It has been an enormous privilege to hold this role for the last two years and work with your department and so many key stakeholders to carry on the excellent work of my predecessor and Jim Meade during his very successful tenure as CEO.
“In particular, I am very proud of the introduction of an hourly Dublin-Belfast service, the opening of the transformed Rosslare Europort, the rapid development of the Cork metro [metropolitan rail] and numerous other successful capital projects.
“At the same time, new records have been set on the existing railway for both punctuality and customer numbers.
“Given all the progress that been made, it was a particular priority for me to ensure the transition to a new CEO continued the momentum that has been built and I am confident that in Mary Considine, we have exactly the right leader to take the railway forward into the next, even more exciting chapter – your direct assistance in helping us achieve this transition was enormously appreciated.”
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In February, O’Brien announced the appointment of Ultan Courtney as chair of the board of Irish Rail and as a director of the State-transport group Córas Iompair Éireann (CIE) for a one-year period while a recruitment process is carried out to identify a permanent replacement.
Courtney is a former chairman of Dublin Bus. Irish Rail and Dublin Bus are operational companies under the broader CIE group structure.
In a replying letter, the Minister thanked Murphy for his contribution as chairman and director of the company. He said Murphy’s leadership saw the rail company weather difficulties and remain in a position of growth.
“During your tenure … there have been a number of challenges and successes. We saw the full recovery of rail service post-Covid, with passenger demand reaching record levels, and the introduction of the hourly Enterprise service, which saw a 40 per cent surge in numbers travelling on the route.
“Under your leadership, the board has overseen a record capital programme, with major projects such as the DART+ and the Cork Area Commuter Rail programme progressing steadily.”
Murphy had been a senior transport executive in the UK for many years before his appointment to Irish Rail.
From 2020 to 2024, he was chief executive of MTR UK, overseeing the delivery of full Elizabeth line services in London, the joint venture on South Western Railway and the start-up of both infrastructure and property development businesses.