OPW to address 'tunneling' concerns for Dublin Metrolink

The Office of Public Works (OPW) is expected to address concerns around 'tunneling works' set to be carried out for the Dublin Metrolink.

According to the Business Post, tunneling would have to be carried out under landmarks such as Leinster House, the National Library and Archaeology Museum.

However, the OPW does have concerns themselves about plans for a station in ST Stephen's Green which would see 20 per cent of the park closed-off.

The project is hoped to be completed by 2034, and will be the most expensive infrastructure project in the state's history costing over €9 billion.

MetroLink will consist of a fully segregated railway, most of which will be underground, running from north of Swords to Charlemont in the south of Dublin city centre.

The route will include 16 stations and serve residential communities in north Dublin, such as Swords, Ballymun and Glasnevin, as well as the city centre and Dublin Airport.

When operations commence, there will be trains every three minutes during peak periods. This can rise to a service every 90 seconds by 2060 with the system capable of carrying up to 20,000 passengers per hour in each direction.

It will be a fully automated system, with a capacity of 20 trains operating per hour each way when it opens.