High toll: State projects soar by €7.5bn
Opposition parties have accused the Government of losing its grip on spending with many projects threatening to spiral out of control. Last week, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern did another U-turn after ruling out the Dublin metro, at least in the short term, after costs soared to €4.8bn from the initial €2.2bn price tag.
The combined cost of the Luas and Dublin Port Tunnel has jumped by almost €500 million. The original cost of the Luas was €279m, with a €220m price tag on the Port Tunnel. However, the final cost of the two projects is more likely to be closer to €1bn.
