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LAST UPDATE | 2 Oct
THE LONG-AWAITED Metrolink project has been granted planning permission by An Coimisiún Pleanála.
The Dublin rail line, which is set to be the single biggest public transport project in the history of the State, will have 16 stations running from Swords to Charlemont and is estimated to carry 53 million passengers annually.
The 18.8km route will have an end-to-end journey time of 25 minutes and serve residential areas including Ballymun and Glasnevin, as well as the City Centre and Dublin Airport, and will link to Irish Rail, Luas and bus services.
The railway order was published by An Coimisiún Pleanála this morning.
Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien has said the decision is “hugely significant”.
A hugely significant day, MetroLink has been granted full planning permission. This transformative project will boost housing, jobs, growth & connectivity for Dublin and the airport. Funding is allocated and now it’s time to deliver🚇✅ pic.twitter.com/N72GS7J7iF
— Darragh O'Brien (@DarraghOBrienTD) October 2, 2025
“Metrolink will be transformative for the people of North Dublin and – by linking directly with Dublin airport, DART, heavy rail, Luas and bus services – the entire country,” he said in a statement.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio’s News at One, he reiterated that: “this is happening, and the government are committed to it”.
O’Brien added that he is not aware of any planned legal challenges against the Metrolink, which could slow construction.
“If it’s challenged, obviously that time frame I can’t have any control over,” he said, “but with the fair wind, we can start this in 2027.”
The news was also welcomed locally by Fingal County Council, who described the project as “a huge boost to the county.”
Fingal Mayor, councillor Tom O’Leary, described today as “a great day for Fingal, for Dublin and for Ireland.”
“It is a game-changer that will ease traffic congestion and finally deliver rail access to Dublin Airport,” O’Leary added.
The Metrolink project director Seán Sweeney has also welcomed the decision.
“Metrolink will shape the future of Dublin, provide a sustainable transport solution to growing demand, and unlock much-needed land development opportunities across the city and beyond.”
The decision to approve planning permission for the project will allow TII to seek tenders for its construction once it has been approved by Cabinet.
The Department of Transport said the government will now bring forward legislation to establish a dedicated State delivery body for Metrolink.
“With the project moving from the planning to construction stage, this new body will help ensure a singular focus on delivering Metrolink in the public interest, reflecting its unique scale and importance for Ireland,” a spokesperson said.
An underground rail line for the capital was first proposed in a government plan in 2005, but was shelved for several years during the recession.
Cabinet approved a refreshed plan for the Metrolink in July 2022, with a planning application submitted to An Bord Pleanála – now An Coimisiún Pleanála – that September.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) lodged a Draft Railway Order seeking permission for the project in 2023 and received 318 submissions in response.
An Coimisiún Pleanála held oral hearings to facilitate third parties expressing their concerns around the project early last year. During these hearings, further documentation was submitted, which resulted in a second public consultation process being held from August to October last year.
It’s expected that construction on the project may not begin until at least 2028.
The estimated cost of the project is also expected to grow. In 2021, the Metrolink was estimated to cost between €7 billion and €12 billion. Sean Sweeney, the director of Metrolink, told an Oireachtas committee in May that that estimate “is going to change”.
In July, the government committed €2 billion to the project under the National Development Plan (NDP), which sets out what large-scale infrastructure projects Ireland needs over the next five to ten years.
Speaking last month, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the funding for the project is now in place.
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