MetroLink Construction Activity Could Be Seen By Year End
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Why is MetroLink construction finally accelerating in Dublin?
And so it
seems progress towards having Metrolink for Dublin is finally accelerating. We've had details today that the project is being put out to tender for construction and the money apparently is in place. We're joined by Lorcan O'Connor, who's the Chief Executive of Transport Infrastructure Ireland. And what's your relationship to the Metro? What's your responsibility on it?
So Transport Infrastructure Ireland currently, in addition to Metrolink, provides the Lewis services in Dublin and also working on new lines in Cork and elsewhere. And also the National Road Network, so the Motorway, Dublin Port Tunnel, some Greenway projects and the like. We have been involved in the current Metrolink project since the beginning. So securing the railway order and working now up to today's approval for the business case. Government have announced that over the next number of months the Metrolink project itself will be set up as a special delivery body but for now it's part of the Transport Infrastructure Ireland family. But that means you'll be handing over responsibility or will you be retaining oversight?
Handing over responsibility and the direct reporting line then will be into the Department of Transport.
Okay. It could cost 17 and a half billion euro. Why so much?
How much has the MetroLink budget increased and what are the main drivers behind the rise?
Well, today we've gotten government approval of an updated business case, and that business case indicates a range of 14.5 to 17.5 billion. Now, every number in that range is a big number. There's no denying that. But the central figure that we've identified as the most likely outcome is 15.75 billion. Now, that's a big increase on the original business case. It's an enormous
increase. Only in September 2022, we were told, It'll be between 7.16 billion and 12.25 billion. So the centre point there, the midpoint, was 9.5 billion. So we've gone from 9.5 billion to what?
The equivalent, 9.5 to 15.75.
So you're talking about an increase of 6.25 billion euro in
just four years. Correct. And it won't come as a surprise to your listeners that one of the key drivers of that is inflation. Inflation
doesn't account for all of that.
What detailed designs and maturity levels are now in place for the MetroLink tunnel and stations?
Well, unfortunately, we have gone through a period of years of very high inflation, particularly in infrastructure and all of the inputs into infrastructure. So there isn't a project in the world that isn't seeing this kind of inflationary pressure over the last number of years. But there are a couple of other drivers that I should also point out. The other main one being just the maturity of the project and updating the business case for the sort of situation that we're in now. So what I mean by that is we thankfully now have a railway order. that sets out a number of conditions for us to deliver on Metrolink. So we have now priced in those conditions. So what we need to do to meet the conditions on commission Planola.
And in addition to that, design maturity. So for example, when we did the original business case, it was an outline design. It was a proof of concept that yes, we've a strategic problem to solve here and this is likely what the project would need to be to do it. Now we have very detailed designs of the tunnel, the stations, etc., etc. So we have a far more detailed breakdown and an analysis of the costs. It is showing 15 and a half, but I would also say the benefits are higher. And that's the key point.
How does MetroLink deliver a high benefit‑cost ratio and what economic returns are expected?
Yeah, but hold on.
It's two thirds more expensive, according to this estimate, than it was four years ago. Two thirds cannot be accounted for by inflation. There's an awful lot of additional things gone in there, hasn't it? Which may be all necessary to get the job done. But it does make you wonder about the initial estimates that were done for September 2022.
Well, what we have now is that detailed analysis and the detailed breakdown that will be published in the business case for everybody to see. But I think what's equally important to note is that the benefits exceed the cost. And what we have published today is a range of those benefits of between 1.1 and 1.9. So in other words, for every euro you spend on this project, you could be getting up to €1.90.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
Why is MetroLink construction finally accelerating in Dublin?
0:00–1:32
2
How much has the MetroLink budget increased and what are the main drivers behind the rise?
1:32–2:32
3
What detailed designs and maturity levels are now in place for the MetroLink tunnel and stations?
2:32–3:53
4
How does MetroLink deliver a high benefit‑cost ratio and what economic returns are expected?
3:53–5:13
5
What impact will MetroLink have on commuter travel times, congestion and CO₂ emissions?
5:13–6:30
6
How will MetroLink stimulate housing development and urban regeneration along its route?
6:30–8:28
7
What procurement and tendering safeguards are being used to keep MetroLink on time and on budget?
8:28–9:59
8
Why is MetroLink considered a strategic national investment beyond just Dublin?
9:59–12:37
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