Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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1756. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the new Metro North project; the expenditure on the project to date; the expected and projected timeline for the completion of each stage; if the projected costings for the completion of the project have been revised in any names; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24721/16]

Noel Rock (Dublin North West, Fine Gael)
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1763. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider expediting plans for the commencement of Metro North in view of a number of factors, not least the census results showing a remarkable increase in the north Dublin population, in addition to the announced intention of Dublin Airport Authority to pursue a second runway at Dublin Airport. [24807/16]

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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1817. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the proposed cost of the Metro North, including a breakdown of the total; and the projected start date for this project. [25884/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1756, 1763 and 1817 together.

Following consideration of the Fingal/North Dublin Transport Study and the recommendations of the National Transport Authority (NTA) arising from this Study, the Government decided that a light-rail link is the optimum long term public transport solution on the Airport/Swords/City Centre corridor. This decision was based on the needs of the Fingal area which registered the third highest population growth rate in the country (at 13.9%) in Census 2011 and a further 8% growth rate in the intervening 5-year period as shown in Census 2016 results.

Accordingly, funding has been made available under the Government's Capital Plan "Building on Recovery Infrastructure & Capital Investment 2016-2021" for planning, design and construction of new Metro North, with construction expected to commence in 2021 with a view to delivering the project by 2026/2027. The Programme for Partnership Government commits to proceeding with the New Metro North project. It is estimated that the project will cost in the region of €2.4 billion (excluding VAT).

The NTA and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) have commenced preparatory work on planning and design of new Metro North and a dedicated project Steering Group has been established.  In the meantime, the NTA has been asked to keep the interim public transport requirements of the Swords/Airport corridor over the next 10 years under review with a view to ensuring adequate capacity to meet demand and to address constraints arising along the corridor.

It is proposed that a mid-term review of the Capital Plan will be carried out in 2017. On foot of that review, and in the event that additional funding becomes available in the next few years, the groundwork that is currently being done will position us to progress the project in line with available funding.