Cabinet has signed off on plans for the long-awaited Dublin Metrolink project, after transport minister Eamon Ryan informed ministers that the project could cost up to €12bn.
Under the plans agreed by government, construction on the project would begin in 2025, with completion between 2031 and 2034.
A precise estimate of the final cost for the Metrolink project could not be supplied to Cabinet but a 'stress-treated indicative cost' of €9.5bn was given to ministers, as it is the 'mid point' of a cost range of €7bn to €12bn.
Minister Ryan received approval for the preliminary business case for the project submitted by the National Transport Authority (NTA).
It is expected that a planning application will be lodged with An Bord Pleanála in September.
In Association with
MetroLink will consist of a fully segregated railway, most of which will be underground, running from north of Swords in north Dubllin to Charlemont in the south of Dublin City Centre.
The route calls for 16 stations serving Swords, Ballymun and Glasnevin, as well as the City Centre, Dublin Airport, and major employment, education, transport and other centres.
The minister stated that when operations commence, there will be trains every three minutes during peak periods. This might rise to a service every 90 seconds by 2060, with the system capable of carrying up to 20,000 passengers per hour in each direction. For comparison, Luas Green Line can carry c.9,000 passengers per direction per hour.
Minister Ryan commented: “This project in various guises has been on the table now for two decades, but the government’s decision on the MetroLink Preliminary Business Case marks a significant milestone. Now this exciting transport megaproject starts to become a reality. We are giving the green light to a transport system that will be integral to the city and the country’s sustainable development in this century, and into the next.
"MetroLink is hardwired to our climate ambitions,” Ryan added. “It will provide over 1 billion carbon neutral, fully electrified, passenger trips by 2050. Over 175,000 people and 250,000 jobs will be accessible to the stations by foot alone.
“The project will improve the quality of the urban environment and people’s lives, as well as enable the development of more well-connected homes in and around our capital city. It will contribute to a shift from the private car to more sustainable travel, helping to decarbonise the transport sector in line with government policy.”
Oversight measures
Public expenditure minister Michael McGrath stated: “Our task now is to ensure that the scheme progresses in a timely manner with protecting the interests of the taxpayer as a central tenet of the project. My department has developed a suite of oversight measures including the External Assurance Process to allow for independent scrutiny of public projects at key decision-making stages and the Major Projects Advisory Group which provides further scrutiny of external reviews.
"These processes will be essential to the efficient delivery of this vital piece of national infrastructure."
Officials indicated that a central scenario provides an indicative capital delivery cost of €9.5 billion. This is described as the midpoint scenario of a credible, but still indicative, capital delivery cost range between €7.2 billion and €12.3 billion.
It is envisaged that three-quarters of the cost during the construction phase will be paid for by the Exchequer and one quarter financed by a Public Private Partnership. A more exact cost will be known following planning permission and procurement process, according to McGrath.
