Two days before last Christmas, the proponents of MetroLink, the Dublin underground rail line first proposed more than a quarter of a century ago, got the best present they could have wished for – “clean” planning permission.
The 19km rail line running from Swords to Charlemont, serving Dublin Airport and city centre, was approved by An Coimisiún Pleanála on September 30th after three years in the planning system.
However, in November, as the clock wound down for potential legal challenges to that decision, a group of residents in Dartmouth Square in Ranelagh, at the 11th hour, initiated judicial review proceedings against the decision to grant permission for the multibillion euro project.
Then, on December 23rd, it was announced a deal had been struck to buy their homes and end the proceedings. No further legal challenges could be taken and it appeared the plan to have a metro running in the capital by the mid-2030s was back on track.
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Sean Sweeney, MetroLink programme director, was instrumental in securing the deal with the residents, which he later revealed would cost about €30 million. It was, he said, a “no-brainer” with the State securing property it could later sell, possibly with an uplift from buyers eager to live next to superior transport infrastructure.
It seemed it was full steam ahead for construction to begin next year. Then, on Thursday, came the shock announcement of Sweeney’s resignation, to take effect from June.
In a statement, the New Zealander (67) announced it was “with deep regret” that he was leaving for family reasons as his partner, children and grandchildren live more than 10,000 miles away.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), Sweeney’s employer, and Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien were quick to say his resignation would not delay MetroLink.
TII chief executive Lorcan O’Connor wished him well but said the project was not dependent on just one person and an open competition to find a successor would begin “immediately”.
Speaking later on RTÉ Radio, he said he was “sure that there will be a number of interested candidates”, musing that people “in the Middle East, with the current difficulties there”, might potentially be looking for fresh pastures.
However, while the Minsiter and TII were keen to assure the travelling public that all is well, there is a risk Sweeney’s departure after less two years could spook the international construction market.
MetroLink deputy programme director Michael Flynn, who will fill Sweeney’s position on an interim basis, last September said the delays in securing permission for the project, and cancellation of a previous underground line for Dublin, had made large infrastructural investors “question whether Dublin and Ireland is serious about building MetroLink”.
O’Brien said a month later that two international groups had confirmed they would be bidding to build the line. However, TII has not reached the stage of the process where it can accept bids.
The timing of Sweeney’s departure is interesting. TII is just weeks away from submitting fresh cost estimates to the Government for sanction to seek bids to build MetroLink.
The last time potential costs were presented was almost four years ago, when the preliminary business case was submitted to government for sanction to press ahead with the planning process. Back then, €9.5 billion was the midpoint of a “credible” cost range of between €7.16 billion and €12.25 billion.
The new estimates will undoubtedly be higher, and while they would have to be at the extreme upper end to pose a real risk to the project, MetroLink is not through the gap yet.
