Irish government clears Dublin MetroLink for detailed tender phase

The detailed business case puts the cost of MetroLink at EUR 14.44 to 17.49 billion (mean EUR 15.75 billion, including contingency and inflation, excluding VAT); final cost ranges will be known only once market bids arrive in 2027. Site preparation is due to start in early 2027, followed by tunnelling and station construction; the construction and operating contracts are worth several billion euro, according to the Taoiseach.

Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien obtained cabinet approval on 16 September 2026 for MetroLink to move into the detailed tender phase, in which bids are sought and partners are chosen to build and run the 19 km driverless, largely underground metro from Estuary/Swords to Charlemont; it is designed for up to 20,000 passengers per direction per hour. The detailed business case puts the cost at EUR 14.44 to 17.49 billion (mean EUR 15.75 billion), and first works on site are due to start in early 2027. Earlier, the planning commission An Coimisiún Pleanála had granted the railway order, according to the report of 6 October 2025 (the government had allocated EUR 2 billion for the start of construction), and, according to the report of 7 October 2025, TII sounded out the market on the M500 DBFOM contract through an EU prior information notice (estimated value EUR 9.5 billion, at least 22.5 years of operation and maintenance). (LOK Report, 6 Oct 2025, 7 Oct 2025 and 24 Sep 2026; second source: gov.ie (Department of Transport), 16 Sep 2026)