Sir, – Éamon Ryan has given us his views on the Metro North rail line to Dublin airport (“Do the right thing, give Metro the green light”, Opinion, September 22nd). It is frankly incredible as the sword of Damocles hangs over the world’s economic systems that the Government should go ahead with Metro North.
Having looked at the rails plans, I calculated following price tag for Metro North: 1) Tunnelling costs, €2.8 billion; 2) Property CPO costs, €1 billion; 3) Station construction costs, €2.28 billion; 4) Other project costs, €4 billion. Total Metro North cost will be €10.08 billion (not including cost of borrowing).
Dublin’s businesses will not survive seven years of construction; the last time the authorities spent ages digging up O’Connell Street, everybody was singing “I can see Clerys now the cranes have gone”.
St Stephen’s Green, which was vested to the people of Ireland by the St Stephen’s Green Act of 1877, with the patronage of Arthur Edward Guinness, will be destroyed as a place of enjoyment for Dubliners and visitors alike.
The Railway Procurement Agency with its Metro North plan is not entitled to one blade of grass nor one square inch of earth of St Stephen’s Green. – Yours, etc,