Dubliners are fed up with long commutes – Luas extension is practical solution to traffic, so stop delays & build it

The Irish Sun

26-05-2025

WHILE the long-delayed MetroLink project connecting Dublin Airport to the city centre is now estimated to cost over €23billion, not all transport solutions have to break the bank.
The
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A Luas extension in rapidly developed Poolbeg will greatly reduce the car traffic
Credit: Alamy
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The new extension will provide a link with the red line at the Aviva Stadium
Credit: Getty Images - Getty
The
The planning application is currently before An Bord Pleanala.
The rapid development of Poolbeg, with 500
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DUBLINERS are fed up with endless delays, long commutes, and half-baked plans that go nowhere.
We don't need more glossy reports or vague promises.
We need action, and we need it now. One obvious place to start?
Extend the Luas to Poolbeg.
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When I was Lord Mayor of Dublin, Phase 1 launched. People were sceptical at first, and that's fair. Big changes always make people nervous.
But it worked. Journey times for public transport fell by 20 per cent. Public transport use went up by 11 per cent.
Footfall in city centre businesses increased. Car traffic dropped by 60 per cent in just a month.
That's proof. A less car-heavy city can work — and actually work better. But plans like this are only part of the picture.
If we want to build a city that works for people, we have to make sure they have real alternatives to the
LUAS LINE EXTENDED PROPOSAL
That's why I've been pushing hard for the Luas line to be extended from the Point to Poolbeg, through Ringsend and Irishtown.
This isn't just another big idea for a press release. It's something we can actually do quickly and affordably.
Here's what's happening. As part of the Dublin Port expansion, a new bridge is being built across the Liffey.
The Dublin Port Company is paying for it. Crucially, they've confirmed the bridge can take a Luas line.
This is what people mean when they talk about joined-up thinking. The bridge is being built anyway. The Luas line is going to be extended eventually. Why not do both at the same time?
If we delay this, we'll end up tearing up the same ground twice. We'll waste money, waste time, and make the job more difficult. It's like renovating a kitchen but deciding to leave out the sink, only to come back years later to install it.
'HUGE MERIT'
Minister of State at the
The National Transport Authority has already asked Transport Infrastructure Ireland to get going on early-stage planning. And the Port Company's application is currently with An Bord Pleanála.
If we move quickly, construction could begin within two to three years. The timing couldn't be more critical. The glass bottle site in Ringsend will soon be home to nearly 10,000 new residents.
That's on top of the people already living in the area. The local population is set to double.
So why wait until they're stuck in traffic and on overcrowded buses to start thinking about transport? We already know we can build Luas extensions quickly and relatively cheaply.
The Luas Cross City project, longer and far more complicated than this one, was built in under four years at a cost of about €61million per kilometre.
It now carries around 10million passengers a year. People said it would be too expensive. But once it opened, it proved its value. Compare that to the
Don't get me wrong, the Metro is vital. But not every project has to be a megaproject. Sometimes the smaller wins are just as important.
BENEFITS FOR DUBLINERS
Extending the Luas to Poolbeg will have an immediate impact. It will link the red line to the
It will bring more people into the city centre to work, shop, and enjoy what Dublin has to offer.
It will connect families and young people to the new Children's Hospital, Heuston Station and the
This is the kind of practical, common-sense investment that makes a city better to live in for everyone.
It also sends the right message to the people of Dublin and to the companies building this infrastructure.
It shows that the government is serious about delivering. And when the government provides a steady pipeline of projects, it drives competition and reduces costs.
Builders know what's coming and can plan ahead. That saves the taxpayer money.
As a Government TD and
This is not a time for indecision. The Luas to Poolbeg makes sense on every level. Let's get on with building it.
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Poolbeg's population is set to double as housing units are rapidly being built
Credit: Getty Images - Getty