The long-awaited Dublin MetroLink could cost the State up to €12 billion with the first trains not expected to be in motion until 2035 at the earliest.
Cabinet Ministers gave approval to Transport Minister Eamon Ryan for the preliminary business case for the MetroLink project as submitted by the National Transport Authority (NTA).
MetroLink will represent the largest rail investment the country has made since the 19th century and it will serve as a major transport spine for Dublin City and also for rail and bus connections from cities and towns across the country.
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A Government spokesman said it was “too early” to give a precise project cost as the project has yet to go through the planning and procurement stages.
However, a credible, stress tested indicative cost is in the region of €9.5 billion, which is the midpoint of a cost range of between €7 billion to €12 billion.
The Government will receive information on the precise cost of MetroLink in advance of its final decision on whether to proceed with the project.
MetroLink will consist of a fully segregated railway, most of which is underground from north of Swords to Charlemont in Dublin’s south city with stations serving Dublin Airport and communities such as Ballymun and Glasnevin along the way.
It is anticipated that construction will begin in 2025, with an anticipated delivery timeline for between 2031 and 2034.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland previously told a Dáil Committee that MetroLink should be up and running by 2035.
Government also agreed to issue the associated Public Spending Code approval to the NTA to enable a planning application for the project to be lodged to An Bord Pleanála in September.
Minister Ryan is expected to make the announcement on Tuesday.
The project was first proposed in 2005 and was supposed to cost around €3 billion.
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