The departure of MetroLink programme director Sean Sweeney is a significant blow to this vital rail project to connect Swords in north Dublin to Charlemont in the south. It comes at a time when progress was – after many years – starting to be made on delivering the plan. This was justified on the basis of his experience on major projects in New Zealand, Australia and the US, including an underground rail project in Auckland. And Sweeney’s departure, after a relatively short period in the job, will inevitably raise some questions for potential replacements, who will need to be convinced that it has full political support. Yet such is Ireland’s record on big projects that Sweeney’s departure will raise fears of yet further delay on a project that has already been spoken about for 20 years.

Source: The Irish Times April 02, 2026 23:39 UTC