Minister for Transport Shane Ross has rejected a call from two Dublin Fine Gael TDs to split the Metrolink project and complete the northside phase, despite a row over the route on the southside.
During a Topical Issues debate in the Dáil, Mr Ross told the house that a further round of consultation is to take due to place on the route.
Alan Farrell and Noel Rock, who both represent constituencies on the northside, raised concerns that the entire project could be delayed because of the row over the southside route.
"The issues that are occurring on the southside in relation to route selection are going to delay this project. This project was 45 years in the making," Mr Farrell said.
"The timelines are slipping due to a southside squabble," Mr Rock said.
"The northside route has been agreed yet if this slips further does the Minister intend to watch the National Transport Authority push these timelines indefinitely into the future?," he asked.
He asked for a commitment to discuss splitting the project in phases.
Mr Ross said the NTA had considered thousands of public submissions on the preferred route.
"I am happy to inform the house that a further round of public consultation will take place shortly on this preferred route," Mr Ross said, adding that it would be inappropriate to comment on particular route alignments while work is under way by the relevant statutory agencies.
Mr Farrell said they were not asking the Minister to intervene in the route alignment, adding that he feared the project would be delayed by a year because of the further consultation.
