Metro north could still get the go ahead.
A revised version of the plan is to go to cabinet before the summer.
Transport Minister Pascal Donohoe is to bring new plans to develop bus, rail, and luas links on the north side to government.
The idea is to link Dublin city with the airport and Swords, which is in need of more transport options.
The proposals are a new luas line, a redesigned metro north with fewer stations or bus rapid transit also know as bendy buses.
For the project to go ahead it would mean spending on transport would have to treble from 500 million to 1.8 million euro a year.
