Metro oral hearing gets underway in Dublin

An oral hearing into plans for an 18km metro line serving north Dublin is due to get underway today.

The planned Metro North line, which would be mainly underground, would link Swords with St Stephen's Green in the city centre.

Today's hearing at Croke Park has been arranged to discuss the Railway Procurement Agency's draft railway order for the scheme.

The project, which was originally expected to cost around €4.6bn, could be significantly less expensive because of a fall of up to 20% in construction costs.

There has been speculation, however, that the plans could be shelved because of the recession.