The cost of buying around 10 homes in Ranelagh to facilitate the quicker construction of Dublin’s MetroLink could hit €30 million, a journalist has speculated. 

Once built, the 18.8km line will terminate in Charlemont, close to the city centre and Dartmouth Square. 

However, horrified locals lodged a judicial review, raising concerns that construction would mean huge congestion within their neighbourhood. 

Mediation between the residents and officials followed, leading Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien to announce before Christmas that a solution had been reached and that the local residents' properties would be bought by the State. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, Irish Examiner journalist Paul Hosford said the expectation was always that a deal would be reached quickly.  

“If you spoke to Darragh O’Brien in the last 10 days, he was optimistic that the mediation on this judicial review would end this way,” he explained. 

“When it went to mediation, it was probably going to end in an agreement before March’s judicial review. 

“Thankfully, for everyone in Dublin, we can look forward to getting on a Metro in the next 10 years, the delivery of the MetroLink in the mid 2030s.”

A digital mock-up of a Metrolink entrance at the front of St Stephen's Green Park in Dublin. Picture by: Metrolink gallery.

However, Mr Hosford added that the cost of building the new homes would not come cheaply. 

“If you do it on a case by case basis, if you look at the amount that homes sell for Dartmouth Square, you’re probably talking about somewhere between €25 and €30 million for the homes,” he added. 

“But in the context of a €13.5 billion critical infrastructure project, it’s probably the cleanest way of doing things. 

“I know there’s a tendency to look at the miniature costs or the smaller costs in these projects. 

“But realistically, this is a €13.5 billion project and if it takes €25 million to get the terminus built, it might be worth doing it.” 

An artist's impression of Seatown MetroLink station. Picture by: MetroLink.

Had the judicial review proceeded, it would have inevitably delayed the construction of the MetroLink. 

With the review now withdrawn, the expectation is once again that it will be opened at some point in the mid 2030s. 

“[Minister O’Brien] was talking about maybe asking Transport Infrastructure Ireland to examine the possibility that you would open the MetroLink in stages,” Mr Hosford said.

“That you might do the north of the county to O’Connell Street first and that you would do the part that involved tunnelling under Dublin second. 

“So, that you might be able to get from the airport to O’Connell Street or from the airport to up around Donabate.”

Main image: Dartmouth Square. Picture by: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie.