Further delays and 'drastic cost overruns' to Dublin Metrolink not acceptable, says Bacik

Labour leader Ivana Bacik at the annual James Connolly Commemoration at Arbour Hill in Dublin. She said she will be seeking more clarity and information from Government regarding suggestions that the metro could go up to 40% over budget and miss the current 2025 deadline. Picture: Stephen Collins/Collins

Suggestions of "drastic cost overruns and further delays" to Dublin's Metrolink are unacceptable, Ivana Bacik has said.

The Labour leader said her party is committed to the rollout of the project as a vitally important piece of public infrastructure for the city, but said it is conscious of the costs and delays to date.

Ms Bacik said she will be seeking more clarity and information from the Government regarding suggestions made by Sean Sweeney, who is leading the project, that the metro could go up to 40% over budget and miss the current 2025 deadline.

Mr Sweeney made the comments in an interview with the Business Post which Ms Bacik said left her very concerned.

"We have seen enormous cost overruns and delays, we are all very conscious of that and on other big public infrastructure projects," she said, citing the Children's Hospital as a prominent example.

"But, for Labour, we also do defend where we have seen public infrastructure built on time and within budget."

Speaking at the annual James Connolly Commemoration at Arbour Hill in Dublin, Labour TD Marie Sherlock said there needs to be concrete assurances that the property owners protection scheme is extended to those impacted by the project.

I am thinking of all those homeowners who do not have foundations under their houses, whose houses were built in the 1800s and saying 'are we going to have a home at the end of this?' 

That is going to be critical now in terms of providing those assurances to homeowners," said Ms Sherlock.

The Metrolink has led to some criticism of the planning process, but Ms Sherlock said care must be taken not to lay the blame entirely at the feet of those who put forward objections.

"We were at the oral hearing last year, Transport Infrastructure Ireland themselves did not get their plans fully right and have had to extend the planning system," she said, saying that those putting forward the proposal must also ensure that they are adequately prepared.

Dublin Fingal East TD Duncan Smith said that he is deeply frustrated and angered by the years of delays calling for the project to be given "a proper impetus" adding that if "that means another look at the planning system" he would be in favour of that.