There’s a renewed opportunity for public input regarding Dublin’s long-awaited MetroLink rail line. The re-opening of consultation follows a five-month interval after the hearing by An Bord Pleanála on the project came to a close.
The hearing, which addressed the construction of the €9.5 billion rail line from Swords to Charlemont, began on the 19th of February and wrapped up on schedule by the end of March. The rail line will include 16 stations, serving areas such as Dublin Airport and the city centre.
Only two days before the conclusion of the hearing, Barry O’Donnell, a board inspector, stated that the project would need to be re-advertised due to new data submitted by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). As the state agency behind the 18.8km rail line, TII submitted roughly 200 additional documents during the hearing, with 39 submitted on the first day alone. Some of these documents were administrative and related to the hearing’s procedures, while others were agreements with property owners located along the rail line.
Nevertheless, there were some attendees who pointed out the introduction of significant new details about the project by TII, which they had not been given the chance to consider prior to their submissions to the board.
In response, O’Donnell stated that TII would be instructed to make the additional information available for consultation in the near future. Anyone who had made submissions about the MetroLink application would get the chance to examine this new information in depth. Even those who didn’t participate in the hearing will also have an opportunity to provide their inputs.
Although it was initially expected that the board would send the notice to TII soon after the hearing, it was actually on July 1st that the agency was directed to publish the additional information. Six weeks later, TII has announced the information will be available for public review in different locations from the 19th of August to the 9th of October.
TII acknowledged that the delay was due to logistical issues related to printing and delivering the extensive amount of data received since An Bord Pleanála’s letter in July.
Updated information regarding land ownership affected by the railway line, as well as documents detailing the potential environmental impacts of the proposed railway works, have been released. These documents were presented during the hearing and will be available for purchase or perusal from 19th August at various locations, including the board’s Marlborough Street offices, Dublin City Council at Wood Quay, Fingal County Council in Swords, TII on Parkgate Street, National Transport Authority on Harcourt Lane, and Ballymun Library. This information is already accessible online at metrolinkro.ie.
In September 2022, TII submitted its application to the board and anticipated a planning process lasting between 12 to 18 months. They also projected that the construction of the line would take six to eight years, contingent on obtaining permission. However, TII has now recognised that the completion of MetroLink will not occur until after 2031.
Ahead of the hearing, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan expressed his confidence that the board would reach their decision on MetroLink by the close of this year. However, public consultation was not expected to continue until October.
Although the public is entitled to request for the reopening of the oral hearing, it is more probable that the board would prefer to receive additional written submissions. TII noted that the board’s letter did not signify the possibility of a reopened hearing, it only established the duration of the second round of public consultation. They further reinforced that the Metrolink’s timeline is dependent upon the successful negotiation of the statutory planning process.