Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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577. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to provide a breakdown of the €2 billion allocation to the MetroLink project announced as part of the new national development plan in July 2025; to clarify where and how his Department will source the remaining funding required to deliver MetroLink by 2035; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43590/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, as Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure, including MetroLink.

As stated in the National Development Plan (NDP) Review 2025, Government will support MetroLink’s construction through funding from the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund. This support provides the type of multi-annual funding certainty required for a megaproject like MetroLink, which as the NDP Review acknowledges, is unique in its scale in an Irish context.

As the Deputy is aware, the Preliminary Business Case for MetroLink, approved by Government in July 2022, included a range of potential capital costs from €7.16 billion to €12.25 billion in 2021 prices, excluding VAT, with an upper range costs estimate of €23.39 (excluding VAT) also noted by Government, representing the P95 estimate. An updated and more definite cost estimate for MetroLink will be known at Approval Gate 3, after the planning and procurement stages, and will be brought to Government for approval in line with the requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines.

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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578. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to provide a timeline for the MetroLink project commencement and completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43591/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, MetroLink will be fully segregated and mostly underground new railway line between Swords and Dublin City Centre, the first of its kind in Ireland. It is a key project under the National Development Plan 2021-30. MetroLink will be able to carry a peak capacity of 20,000 passengers per hour per direction in the future.

A significant milestone in the progression of the MetroLink project was cleared in July 2022, when the Minister for Transport secured approval for the project from the Cabinet under Decision Gate 1 of the then-Public Spending Code. This approval enabled the project to move to the planning application stage, and in September 2022 Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) submitted a Railway Order applications to An Coimisiún Pleanála.

An Coimisiún Pleanála held an Oral Hearing in relation to MetroLink in February/March 2024. TII engaged constructively with all parties as part of the Oral Hearing. Following the Oral Hearing, An Coimisiún Pleanála held an additional round of public consultation from 19 August to 8 October 2024. A planning decision is awaited from An Coimisiún Pleanála.

Another key milestone was reached in September 2024 when Dr Séan Sweeney started as the Programme Director for MetroLink. Dr. Sweeney has three decades in leadership roles on major infrastructure projects in Australia, New Zealand, and the US.

Subject to securing planning approval, and no successful legal challenges, TII will prepare a Detailed Project Brief and Procurement Strategy for consideration at Approval Gate 2, in line with the Infrastructure Guidelines.

Dependent on the outcome of the planning process, construction of MetroLink is earmarked to commence over the coming years with a view to operation around the mid 2030s.