A veteran CIE engineer claims he warned the company that its planned new rail signalling system could not be installed within the proposed time-frame - but when he stood his ground on the issue, he was told the company would find an outside contractor to do the job.
Mr P.J. Leahy, then managing engineer with responsibility for signalling, said it was not realistic for a contract signed in July 1997 to be completed by December 1999, as required for EU funding. But he said his then superior, former head of programmes and projects Dr Ray Byrne, seemed not to accept or understand that.
The project - eventually contracted out - was suspended last year and is still unfinished.
Mr Leahy told the inquiry he expressed concern about the time-frame as far back as October 1995, when the possibility of EU funding was discussed. "Any signalling system needs about three years to complete . . . but a project like mini-CTC I thought would take about four years because it was quite spread out.
"I felt that time was running out. I repeatedly sought orders to start the project but I was not allowed to do so, even after the board had approved the project.
"He (Dr Byrne) told me if I could not bring it in on time, he could easily bring in contractors who would do it."
Mr Leahy said he felt his position was "virtually impossible" and he temporarily left CIE.
Mr Gerry Dalton, then infrastructure manager at CIE, recalled events differently. He said he understood an outside contractor would be able to meet the deadline by bringing in more men than Mr Leahy would have available to him, and this was why Dr Byrne was considering such a move.
"There were frustrations on both sides. Joe (Mr Leahy) wanted to start the project, and Dr Byrne had to wait for funding."