Plans to construct Dublin’s underground Metrolink system may promise a lot of orders for digger dealers, but the construction workforce needed to carry out the work will be considerable, which creates some potential logistical problems.
The Metrolink is planned to connect central Dublin with the airport, with several sections and stations located in underground tunnels like the Tube in London. In total, it will have 16 stations, including 11 underground.
After the Oireachtas Transport Committee was told that a workforce of 8,000 would be needed to construct the line, Brian Caulfield, professor of transportation at Trinity College Dublin, told RTE Radio’s Morning Ireland programme thata “clever” solution was needed.
He suggested that the first construction project should be to build “something like an Olympic village,” noting that workers' camps were built a century ago for the construction of the Ardnacrusha power plant.
“In Dublin for the Metro, and it's not only Metro, we need thousands of construction workers for a number of other projects,“ he argued, suggesting that once the Metrolink is built, the homes could be turned into student lets or public housing.
He said the ideal site would be along the Metrolink route, where high-density housing would have access to the stations on the line.
The proposal for extra accommodation for construction workers could bring an extra bonus for suppliers of construction and plant equipment, to get the village built first. Moreover, the existence of the accommodation could bring further benefits as it would ensure the Metrolink and other big projects could be tackled by workers residing in Dublin.
Among other major projects in the capital is the construction of 487 homes in Dublin 8, with the city council confirming a contract with Elliot Building & Civil Engineering for the delivery of the homes, as well as a crèche and library. Construction is expected to be complete in early 2028.
https://www.sleatorplant.co.uk/
https://www.metrolink.ie/en/about/metrolink
