Metrolink boss departs project

Seán Sweeney, programme director of the Metrolink project, has announced his departure from the role.

In a statement on Thursday, Sweeney said “leading the MetroLink programme has been one of the greatest professional privileges of my career.”

“However, after several years away from home, the sacrifice of being separated from my partner, children, and grandchildren, who are over 10,000 miles away, has become unsustainable. It is with deep regret that I leave MetroLink, however, I know it is the right thing to do for everyone,” the New Zealander said.

Sweeney said “a programme like MetroLink will have many parents and I always believed my role was to get the programme up and running.  I am proud to leave the programme with a highly committed and experienced executive team, full Government support as well an operational Railway Order and MetroLink fully funded into construction. MetroLink is no longer a ‘proposed’ plan; it is a live delivery project.”

Departing his role, Sweeney said “the market appetite is huge, the political support is firm, and the team I leave behind is the best I have ever worked with. I want to thank Minister O’Brien, the TII Board, and the people of Dublin for their trust. I look forward to seeing the first tunnel boring machines start their work, knowing the foundation is rock solid.”

Lorcan O’Connor, CEO of Transport Infrastructure Ireland,  said “it is with a mix of gratitude and regret that I confirm the departure this summer of Seán Sweeney as Programme Director of MetroLink.”

Seán joined us at a critical juncture when MetroLink was in need of a steady hand to build a strong team, generate market interest, secure planning and steer the programme into the procurement phase.  During his time, the project has secured its most significant milestone to date: securing the Operational Railway Order in January 2026.

O’Connor said, “Seán has assembled an executive team with over 250 years of collective experience in delivering global mega-projects. Under his watch MetroLink now has a completed reference design, a live procurement process, comprehensive political support and a level of international market confidence Ireland has never seen before.

“While we are sad to see him leave we wish him well with the next chapter of his life.  We will begin an open competition for his successor immediately. In the interim, Michael Flynn (Deputy Programme Director) will step up to ensure MetroLink continues to progress towards delivery as we move toward three further milestones before year end, namely:

• Issuing Contract Notices for the M500: Service Delivery Package (Comprising design and delivery of rail systems, rolling stock, commissioning, depot, park and ride facilities. This contract also covers the fit out of all stations and maintenance of the public passenger transport service)

• Issuing Invitations to Tender for the M400 package (the two M400 contracts will provide the civil engineering and infrastructure works for the MetroLink Programme, with each contract including the track preparation, stations and structures, including bridges and tunnels), and

• The commencement of advanced and enabling works for the programme (21 seperate contracts designed to clear a path for the main infrastructure works).”