Great confusion as to the remit of CIÉ, NTA and TFI

There was a half page advert in the national press yesterday looking for a new Chief Executive Officer at the NTA, (National Transport Authority).

Until 1987 CIÉ (Córas Iompair Éireann) directly ran all national rail and bus services in the State.

In that year, February 1987, Iarnród Éireann, Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann were set up as three separate companies with CIÉ the holding company for all three subsidiaries.

Now we have the NTA and TFI (Transport For Ireland).  What exactly is the remit of all three entities, CIÉ, NTA and TFI?

It is not good for the health of a democracy when people have not a clear idea what statutory bodies do.

Who owns the buses and trains? Who decides on timetables? What’s the role of CIÉ?

What person, who uses buses or trains, has a clue about what all three statutory bodies do?