Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has appointed a Jacobs–AECOM joint venture as Programme Delivery Partner (PDP) for Dublin’s MetroLink, marking another major step as the project moves from planning towards full-scale delivery preparation.
The appointment was announced on 10 September 2026 following a competitive procurement process.
Under the Programme Delivery Partner arrangement, Jacobs and AECOM will integrate with the MetroLink team to support the management, oversight and coordination of the project’s construction, systems integration and commissioning phases.
Supporting Delivery of Ireland’s First Metro
MetroLink is planned as Ireland’s first fully segregated metro railway, providing a high-capacity and high-frequency connection between Swords in North County Dublin, Dublin Airport and Dublin city centre.
The approximately 19 km route will include 16 new stations and will provide interchange opportunities with Ireland’s wider public transport network, including Irish Rail, DART, Luas and bus services.
Once operational, TII expects MetroLink to have capacity to carry up to 53 million passengers annually.
Programme Delivery Partner Role
The Jacobs–AECOM team will provide programme-level support covering areas including:
- Programme and project management;
- Construction and engineering oversight;
- Programme scheduling;
- Governance and assurance;
- Risk management;
- Management of interfaces across multiple contracts;
- Contract administration and delivery oversight;
- Integration and commissioning coordination; and
- Safety and quality oversight.
The integrated delivery approach is intended to help TII coordinate the numerous major contracts, disciplines, stakeholders and interfaces required to deliver the MetroLink programme.
TII Chief Executive Lorcan O’Connor described the appointment as a critical transition as MetroLink moves from planning into full-scale delivery preparation.
MetroLink Interim Programme Director Michael Flynn said the PDP would provide project management, scheduling and engineering oversight to help turn the project’s operative Railway Order and ongoing procurements into physical delivery.
Global Metro Experience
Jacobs and AECOM bring experience from several major international rail and transit programmes.
Projects referenced by the companies include the Elizabeth line in London, Metrolinx programmes in Toronto, California High-Speed Rail, Cross River Rail in Brisbane, Austin Transit Partnership and the Baltimore & Potomac Tunnel replacement programme.
Both companies also have established operations and infrastructure project experience in Ireland.
Contract Reported at Up to €550 Million
According to The Irish Times, the Programme Delivery Partner contract is worth up to €550 million over 12 years, making it the largest MetroLink contract awarded to date.
The wider MetroLink programme is simultaneously progressing procurement across major civil works, enabling works and the future metro systems and operations packages.
The PDP appointment therefore represents an important development in establishing the programme management and integration structure required to coordinate these packages as MetroLink progresses towards construction.
A Major Step Towards Delivery
MetroLink is one of Ireland’s largest planned infrastructure investments and is intended to significantly improve public transport capacity and connectivity across the Greater Dublin Area.
The appointment of the Programme Delivery Partner provides TII with a long-term delivery team to help manage the complexity of construction, systems integration, interfaces and commissioning across the programme.
With major procurement activities already progressing, the Jacobs–AECOM appointment represents another significant milestone in MetroLink’s transition from planning and approvals towards physical delivery.
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