Any word yet on contracts for the Metro North enabling works being signed? The Business Case says contracts must be signed by now for first work to begin in January, ie Mater station box.
Also, the Mail on Sunday reports that Metro North will be 'scrapped' in Budget and put on hold for at least three years. Quotes a senior Fianna Fail source as saying Brian Cowen has 'gone cold' on the €2.5bn project and the Greens have backed down on their stance that it must go ahead.
Has anyone heard anything to back that up? It's not what I was told recently by someone close to the project. I was told enabling works will be going ahead and the funding ring-fenced in the capital budget.
My understanding is if the PPP process is scrapped then the PPP project is gone for good as it will be next to impossible to attract investors to tender on future PPPs in Ireland because of the risk of cancellation on a political whim.
And is there any substance to Tommy Broughan's assertion that the State may face compensation claims from the final bidders if the govt axes Metro? He bases it on the cancellation of a PPP motorway in Slovakia for which the Slovakian govt was forced to pay out €86m to the bidders.
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