Francis Noel Duffy (Dublin South West, Green Party)
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240. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the planning application for the railway order for Metrolink is expected to be lodged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43607/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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In an Irish context, MetroLink is no ordinary project and is likely the largest ever public investment project in the history of the State.

As one might expect for a project of this scale preparation of a railway order application is an enormous undertaking. There has been a huge amount of work already completed in terms of getting the project to the point it is today.

However, I understand there remains an extensive body of work in relation to finalizing the preliminary design, completing the required environmental impact assessment reports and closing out property referencing issues before the railway order application will be ready for submission to An Bord Pleanála. Aspects of this work were impacted by COVID-19 restrictions earlier in the year and I understand that it will likely be Q1 2022 before the Railway Order application will be ready, with submission to An Bord Pleanála expected shortly thereafter.

In parallel, and as required under the Public Spending Code, the Preliminary Business Case for the project has been submitted to my Department.  This is known as Decision Gate 1 and the Code stipulates that the Preliminary Business Case must be reviewed by my Department and the Department for Public Expenditure and Reform prior to presentation to Government.

Approval under “Decision Gate 1: Preliminary Business Case” is required prior to any application to An Bord Pleanála (ABP) for a Railway Order and therefore I expect to bring the matter to Government in advance of the Railway Order application being finalised in Q1 2022.