The miniature trams, which may also find favour among children, are the most eye-catching of a series of merchandising proposals being considered by the RPA, which last week issued a tender seeking a firm to administer and sell its products.

A spokesman for the agency said that the tender had been issued to test the water to see if anyone would be interested in selling Luas merchandise.

"We're talking about things like small Luas trams like the London buses you see in souvenir shops there, " he said.

He said that the RPA had decided to investigate the issue based on suggestions from its own staff.

"People have seen it in other cities and the Luas has become so associated with Dublin that we feel there might now be possibilities there."

It is unlikely, however, that the RPA will ever be able to develop a merchandising operation on the scale of Transport for London, which made �1.1m ( 1.5 m) from its transport museum alone last year.

It has also licenced a fashion range, Underground Outfits, aimed at teenagers and offers "a trendy, urban look" and is planning to launch a range of cycling products next year. It also licences the legendary London underground map to publishers.