September 8 2025 - Minister for Transport of Ireland Darragh O'Brien will give the opening address at a major MetroLink Market Engagement event in London.
The event will be held at the Institution of Civil Engineers, One Great George Street, on Monday, September 8.
Martin Fraser, Ambassador of Ireland to the United Kingdom, will speak at the event. An address will also be given by the British Minister of State for Rail at the Department of Transport, Lord Peter Hendy.
This event will offer a comprehensive and detailed viewing of the MetroLink programme, Ireland's first metro programme, mapping out its delivery structure.
It will also outline the exciting opportunities that this landmark infrastructure project will deliver for suppliers and contractors.
Over 250 invited guests are due to be in attendance, amongst them many stakeholders seeking to partner with MetroLink.
MetroLink’s London event will be followed by an extensive series of market briefings across key European cities throughout the month of September, including events in Paris, Berlin, Milan, Madrid and Instanbul.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is delivering MetroLink in partnership with the National Transport Authority (NTA), with construction set to take around 9 years following receipt of the Railway Order.
A historic first metro system for Ireland, MetroLink has been identified under the updated National Development Plan as a keystone infrastructure priority for meeting Ireland's future public transport needs. Its inclusion signifies its importance in shaping sustainable infrastructure investment.
Under the July 2025 update, MetroLink received a dedicated allocation of €2 billion from the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature fund. As well as forming part of Project Ireland 2040, it features in broader frameworks like the Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area.
Fully automated, MetroLink is a high capacity metro system that is designed to transform public transport in the city. Spanning approximately 19km, it will connect Swords to Charlemont via Dublin Airport and the city centre.
This innovative and vital programme is a cornerstone of Ireland’s climate and mobility goals, supporting economic growth as well as urban connectivity and renewal. It will offer new business opportunities for a wide range of organisations, from large international firms to locally based Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs).
MetroLink will also support some 8,000 direct construction jobs, as well as a further 2,500 to 3,000 indirect supply chain and support related jobs each year.
The briefings will offer key updates on the MetroLink programme, including:
• MetroLink’s position at the heart of the new Irish National Development Plan (NDP)
• The latest information on bid cost expectations
• Introduction to the MetroLink Executive Team, including leaders with extensive large scale metro-project experience
• Clarification on the Enforceable Railway Order status
• Details on the DBFOM contract term and capital contribution.
The briefings will also provide a timetable for the procurement of:
• M401 NEC (Station box/tunnel civils)
• M402 NEC (Station box/tunnel civils)
• M500 DBFOM (Stations, systems, operations & maintenance)
ENDS