John Fitzgerald has been appointed Chairperson of the soon to be established Dublin Transport Authority.

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey also announced that Gerry Murphy will be appointed Chief Executive Officer designate of the Authority, arising from a competition held by the Public Appointments Service.

Commenting on the new appointments, Minister Dempsey said: "I am very pleased that Mr Fitzgerald and Mr Murphy have agreed to become Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer designate of the Dublin Transport Authority."

The Minister said Mr Fitzgerald possesses an "unparalleled experience" of planning and development in the Greater Dublin Area which will be of great benefit, to the new Authority given the important interaction between transport and land use planning.

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"Mr Murphy is well qualified to lead the new Dublin Transport Authority given his experience at a senior level in the public service and his wide experience of transport in Ireland at local and national level, including the planning and successful delivery of major infrastructural projects."

Mr Dempsey said both men possess the personal and professional attributes necessary to successfully lead this new important Agency.

"It is my intention to have the Authority in place before the end of the year. I will be appointing other members of the Authority over the coming months," he added.

Under the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008, the Authority will be responsible for preparing a strategic transport plan for the integrated development of transport infrastructure and services in the Greater Dublin Area.

In addition, the DTA will have responsibility for the capital funding of all major public transport infrastructure projects planned for the Greater Dublin Area.

Minister Dempsey will shortly publish the Public Transport Regulation Bill, which provides for the renaming of the Dublin Transport Authority as the National Transport Authority.

(PR/GK)