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Ireland Approves MetroLink Second Stage, €550M Oversight Contract

By Drooid · Sep 17, 2026, 3:29 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Irish Government Approves MetroLink

Irish Government approved the second stage of Dublin’s MetroLink project.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland expects MetroLink to operate between 2036 and 2038.
Visible construction activities around Dublin are slated to begin by the end of 2026.
Jacobs and Aecom received a €550 million contract to oversee the 12-year MetroLink build.
Project cost estimates now range from €14.4 billion to €17.5 billion, midpoint €15.75 billion.

Summary

Merrion Hotel Showcases Art

The Merrion hotel occupies four restored Georgian townhouses on Upper Merrion Street opposite Parliament.
It houses Ireland’s largest private 19th- and 20th-century art collection, over 100 works including Jack B. Yeats.
The Cellar Bar, set in original 18th-century wine vaults, serves Guinness and live music Wed-Thu.
An Art Afternoon Tea offers pastries inspired by the displayed paintings, blending cuisine and visual art.

Summary

Healy-Rae Attacked

Suad Mooge, the 2026 Dublin Rose, received roughly 4,000 hostile posts on X after her selection.
The Soufan Centre reports Ireland’s far-right has moved from online fringe activity to real-world arson attacks.
TD Michael Healy-Rae was punched through his car window near Coombe Hospital, sustaining a facial cut and head blow.

History

Historical Context

In 2004, Dublin launched the Luas light-rail system, a pioneering transit project that eased central traffic and spurred urban renewal for commuters. Transport Infrastructure Ireland recorded the Luas’s €550 million construction cost, 32-kilometre route, and 40,000 daily passengers within its inaugural year of service. The current €15.75 billion MetroLink, awarded to Jacobs and Aecom, echoes Luas’s ambition while Dublin’s Merrion Hotel showcases art amid political unrest today. As far-right aggression targets figures like Suad Mooge and TD Michael Healy-Rae, the expanded network promises safer mobility and civic cohesion for all.

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Irish Government Approves MetroLink

Irish Government approved the second stage of Dublin’s MetroLink project.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland expects MetroLink to operate between 2036 and 2038.
Visible construction activities around Dublin are slated to begin by the end of 2026.
Jacobs and Aecom received a €550 million contract to oversee the 12-year MetroLink build.
Project cost estimates now range from €14.4 billion to €17.5 billion, midpoint €15.75 billion.

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