Dublin metro construction approved

On 16 September the Irish government gave final approval to plans to build a 19km north–south metro line across the city estimated to cost EUR 15.75bn. The project will now be put out to tender while enabling works will start in 2027. MetroLink will be the largest single project in Ireland since the 1920s. It will support the delivery of some 77 000 new homes along the route and thousands of construction jobs. The line will connect Estuary/Swords in the north to Charlemont station south of the city centre, where there will be interchange with the LUAS light rail line. 64m trains with a capacity of 20 000 passengers/hour will operate every three minutes at peak periods. 370M car trips across Dublin could be saved in the first 30 years reducing emissions by 2.5M tonnes, and 500 permanent operations jobs created. The line will link the city centre and the airport in 20 minutes. Completion is expected in 2036-2038. 

 

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said, 'Today’s approval reflects the Government’s commitment to investing in new infrastructure. MetroLink will help make our capital city a better, more sustainable place in which to live, travel, socialise and work. I am delighted that the Government has moved MetroLink into the detailed procurement phase for multi-billion-euro construction and operation contracts, and we will continue to support it into construction’.