[1] Many of the staff of the agency came from the Light Rail Project Office of Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ), which was dissolved upon the RPA's inception.

This was due to a fear by the government that CIÉ's implementation of new rail projects would be slow and inefficient, as the company is not well regarded by the country's political leadership.

The RPA had a crucial role in implementing key rail elements of the Irish Government's initiatives, administered by the National Transport Authority.

It was responsible for the planning, coordination and procurement through conventional means, and through Public Private Partnership, where necessary, of the following projects: The RPA was also responsible for the following projects, all now complete: In 2006, the RPA were criticised for allowing the Red Line to be opened, in the knowledge that parts of the track support of line were faulty in regards to track support.

[3] For two years the agency paid his salary and gave him an office, even though the chief executive's position had been filled by Frank Allen.