Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 January 2023
237. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Transport if the MetroLink project is to be procured by public private partnership; if he will provide details of the share of total construction costs to be funded by public expenditure, as well as the funding levels secured to date in budget 2023 and the National Development Plan 2021-2030. [4649/23]
View answerMetroLink is at a relatively early stage of development and final construction costs will not be known until after the planning and procurement processes. Approximately three-quarters of the total MetroLink construction expenditure is expected to be funded by the Exchequer, with the remainder funded through public-private partnership (PPP) which will be repaid after services begin operation. A detailed project brief and procurement strategy is being prepared as MetroLink progresses towards Decision Gate 2 of the Public Spending Code.
Over €850 million has been allocated for capital investment in public transport infrastructure in Budget 2023. This funding will support the delivery of better public transport services to citizens and the progression of public transport projects and programmes across the country, including the continued development of MetroLink.
The National Development Plan (NDP) has set out a €35 billion funding envelope for investment in transport between 2021 and 2030. MetroLink is a strategic investment priority in the NDP and it is expected that the funding delivered under the current NDP will allow MetroLink to begin construction later this decade.
