{"id":570648,"date":"2026-07-27T16:23:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T16:23:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/570648\/"},"modified":"2026-07-27T16:23:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T16:23:11","slug":"metrolink-timeline-from-1970s-proposal-to-expected-2030s-completion-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/570648\/","title":{"rendered":"MetroLink timeline: from 1970s proposal to expected 2030s completion \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the autumn, the Cabinet will consider putting to tender the long-awaited Dublin metro system<\/a>. If approved, a final Government<\/a> decision would be taken when tenders are received and considered, likely before next summer.<\/p>\n

Enabling works to move, for example, water and gas mains out of the way of the alignment for the 19km rail link from Swords in north county Dublin<\/a> to Charlemont on the southside could get under way in 2027, with construction on the main project commencing the year after. This would see Ireland\u2019s first underground train service operational in the mid to late 2030s, more than 60 years after it was first proposed.<\/p>\n

1975 <\/p>\n

State transport company CI\u00c9 publishes the Dublin Rail Rapid Transport Study proposing an extensive electrified commuter rail network with an underground line from Heuston to Connolly stations with a new hub at Temple Bar<\/a>. First phase became the Dart line<\/a>, but other elements are abandoned.<\/p>\n

August 2000<\/p>\n

Minister for Public Enterprise Mary O\u2019Rourke announces the development of a \u00a34.3 billion metro system for Dublin, one-fifth of which will be underground. She suggests the proposed circular metro system around Dublin, which would also serve the airport, would take between seven and 15 years to plan and build.<\/p>\n

2002<\/p>\n

Minister for Transport Seamus Brennan says a metro link between Dublin Airport<\/a> and the city centre would be in place by 2007. <\/p>\n

November 2005<\/p>\n

Minister for Transport Martin Cullen announces two Metro lines for Dublin. Metro North would run from Swords to St Stephen\u2019s Green via the airport. The cost is estimated at \u20ac2.5 billion. Metro West would be an orbital service linking Tallaght, Blanchardstown and Clondalkin with Metro North.<\/p>\n

September 2011<\/p>\n

In the wake of the financial crisis, Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar<\/a> suspends the planning process for Metro West due to a lack of funds.<\/p>\n

October 2011<\/p>\n

Planning permission is granted for Metro North, but the following month the Government suspends the project. About \u20ac200 million had already been spent on preparatory work. <\/p>\n

September 2015<\/p>\n

Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe announces the revival of the Metro plan from the city centre to the airport and Swords, with construction scheduled to begin in 2021 with a view to delivery in 2026 or 2027.<\/p>\n

March 2018<\/p>\n

Metro project, renamed MetroLink, is now scheduled to run from Sandyford to the airport and on to Swords along part of the existing Luas Green Line. The cost is estimated at \u20ac3 billion.<\/p>\n

February 2019<\/p>\n

Minister for Transport Shane Ross rules out MetroLink route to Sandyford due to the disruption it would cause to the existing Luas line. MetroLink is now scheduled to terminate at Charlemont near Ranelagh.<\/p>\n

Mid 2019<\/p>\n

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar suggests Metro project could cost \u20ac5 billion.<\/p>\n

July 2022 <\/p>\n

Government approves preliminary business case for MetroLink. Cost estimates range from \u20ac7.16 billion to \u20ac12.25 billion with a best estimate midpoint of \u20ac9.5 billion. Varadkar says the extreme scenario could see the project cost \u20ac23 billion.<\/p>\n

October 2025<\/p>\n

An Coimisi\u00fan Plean\u00e1la<\/a> approves railway order \u2013 effectively planning permission \u2013 for MetroLink.<\/p>\n

March 2026<\/p>\n

New cost estimates drawn up by Transport Infrastructure Ireland<\/a>, which are believed to range between \u20ac15 billion and over \u20ac18 billion.<\/p>\n

Official estimates not published but advertisements for expressions of interest indicate the sums that could be involved. Contract notices for tunnelling and excavation contracts have a combined value of up to \u20ac7.9 billion, while a contract to supply, operate and maintain the metro system has a value of up to \u20ac7.3 billion.<\/p>\n

July 2026<\/p>\n

Senior figures close to Government believe the Metro bill could reach \u20ac19 billion<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In the autumn, the Cabinet will consider putting to tender the long-awaited Dublin metro system. If approved, a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":570649,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[75,72,615,1523,61,60,29093,16456,29094],"class_list":["post-570648","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-an-coimisiun-pleanala","tag-business","tag-dublin","tag-government","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-metrolink","tag-public-transport","tag-transport-infrastructure-ireland"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/570648","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=570648"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/570648\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/570649"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=570648"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=570648"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=570648"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}