Labour’s education spokesman Ruairí Quinn has opened the possibility of his party giving the go ahead for Metro North if in power following the next election.
He said while his party would have to review capital expenditure, clearly “we have to look at the proposals.”
Mr Quinn said pushing the costs forward into the operational and running phase would change the budgetary position.
Earlier this month Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said that if in power “Metro North would be shot back” by his party.
He said Labour would redo the National Development plan and “prioritise those projects likely to create the most jobs”.
Speaking on Morning Ireland today Mr Quinn said: “You really have to look at those projects that are currently in mid-flight and make sure that they can be completed before you start to open up new projects and it is in that context and that context alone that he [Mr Gilmore] offers the observation.”
However, "if the costs are going to be pushed forward into the operational and running phase of Metro North that may change the balance sheet in terms of budgetary analysis".
Yesterday An Bord Pleanála granted permission for the Metro North, but has cut three stops and 2.3 km of track from the line sought two years ago by the Railway Procurement Agency.
The cuts will mean a new railway order, the planning application for rail infrastructure, will have to be submitted for aspects of the project. An Bord Pleanála said it was too early to say whether a new oral hearing would be required.
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey said the metro was a “priority public transport project for this Government”, but would be subject to a cost-benefit analysis before the Government signed off on the project.
Doubts have been cast on the project’s viability in the current economic circumstances.