We still have no clarity as to what Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien meant when he informed media that the 19km MetroLink project (12km to 14km underground) might now be built in two phases, the first of which would run from Swords to an unidentified point in the city centre.

There has been media speculation that the two-phased approach arises from a concern in Government that the cost of MetroLink not be allowed to grow like a runaway train. By building phase one, some flexibility would be given to Government to limit expenditure if the project’s costs ballooned.

By way of comparison, the channel tunnel (of which 38km is undersea) between Britain and France, which was completed in 1994, cost £4.65 billion, roughly equivalent to £12 billion in today’s money.

When the National Transport Authority (NTA) and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) first planned the MetroLink project for Dublin, the public was told the total cost was likely to be €3 billion. At that time, the project envisaged two parallel tunnels (like the Channel Tunnel) and driverless trains.

Woman (40s) found dead at house in Co Kerry

Farage political rivals say they will boycott ‘fake’ byelection after his resignation

All aboard the golf train to Adare, Ireland’s answer to North Korea

The greatest........

© The Irish Times