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LAST UPDATE | 3 Sep 2024
THE TAOISEACH HAS said that the cost of a €335,000 bike shelter at Leinster House is “inexcusable” and “inexplicable”.
The minister with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW) Kieran O’Donnell TD has ordered a full review of the project.
The OPW said it acknowledges the recent discussions about the costs and has released a breakdown of how much was spent on every part of the process.
It cited the shelter’s historical site as one of the drivers of the cost.
“As stipulated in the planning application, the bicycle shelter was to have no material impact on the historic fabric of Leinster House, the adjoining National Gallery or historic elements in Leinster Lawn,” it said in a statement.
“Located within the setting of Leinster House, a protected structure of national importance, the construction of the bike shelter involved several unique challenges.”
Taoiseach Simon Harris told the press this morning: “I think everybody can see the benefit of having somewhere to park a bike at a workplace. People get that. What they don’t get is the extraordinary sum of money.
“This is the sort of thing that rightly angers and annoys people, but it angers and annoys me as well.”
Justice Minister Helen McEntee said the cost “seems like an astronomical amount”, but that the reasoning behind it won’t be fully understood until the findings of the review are published.
Nearly €284,000 of the total amount was spent on the shelter’s construction, while €2,952 was spent on Archaeological Services.
The structure consists of a steel framed, glazed canopy to ensure long term durability.
“The materials used, including Irish granite, glass and steel were carefully selected not only for their durability, but also for their compatibility with the historic setting of our national parliament, the OPW said.
VAT accounted for €38,333 of the overall cost. €10,816.52 was spent on admin services.
The OPW added: “The project was procured via a framework agreement and complies with public procurement and planning guidelines.”
The shelter is located on Leinster Lawn, on the Merrion Square side of the Oireachtas complex.
The Green Party has sought to distance itself from the growing debacle and taken aim at media portrayals of its role in the shelter’s construction. The project falls under the remit of the Fine Gael-led OPW.
Isn't it funny how the Greens get blamed for things that have nothing to do with us?
— Green Party Ireland (@greenparty_ie) September 3, 2024
Nobody in the Green Party signed off on this shed. Time the media held the right people to account. pic.twitter.com/bakKPQ6fOT
A post on X by the party’s account said: “Isn’t it funny how the Greens get blamed for things that have nothing to do with us?”
“Nobody in the Green Party signed off on this shed. Time the media held the right people to account.”
Fianna Fáil TD Willie O’Dea has called on the Taoiseach to “name and shame” those responsible for signing off on the shed’s installation, adding he wants them to face sanction.
The Limerick politician said that people working in the Civil Service must be held accountable for their actions in the same way that politicians are expected to be.
“The real question is, is anybody going to be held accountable for this? Politicians are expendable, but civil servants seem to be as safe as a sacred cow in a Hindu heartland,” he said.
“I was absolutely stunned and sickened when I heard about it and I’ll tell you why – I heard about it roughly about the same time I received an email from Irish Water that they couldn’t repair a manhole cover, due to the fact that they were having long internal discussions about it — I kid you not.”
“Who decided this had to be such an elaborate thing, built into the granite structure in Leinster House and all that – what is the point of it, why was it so elaborate?” he asked.
“And, secondly, when the tenders came in – I presume they went for the lowest tender but I don’t know – was nobody in authority consulted about whether it was sensible to be spending this amount of taxpayers money on this?”
O’Dea said public expenditure on certain projects had “gone beyond a joke” and that he regularly meets constituents in Limerick who are “struggling to get to the end of the week on low wages, and then they see this, and they are scandalised by it, frankly”.
With reporting by David Raleigh and Ken Foxe
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Sure they’ll just buy them out from under the nose of first time buyers with the 7 billion housing budget and push prices higher!
On of the people that work with me was lucky enough to get a socially affordable home two years ago in a new limerick estate after 12 years on a list. When I call to help out with odd jobs it’s like visiting a foreign country as 2/3 are recently arrived and housed within 18 months of a successful application for asylum.
The rent is also means tested so my mortgage is actually cheaper.
Next election people should ask every candidate that calls to their door one simple question.
Please name 5 things you or your party have actually done for this community. Then film the answers.
What are people on about a housing crisis we’ve 158 units built there and plenty of fields for tents for people to get they’re bearings when they arrive. There’s plenty of extra tax fund from this budget i hear so more modular homes. Irish can look for a loan for an extension to house they’re families at granny and grandads house, that’s anyone fortunate enough to have parents who are lucky to own one. The rest can save up 5000 and head for Australia or USA cos they don’t allow you in otherwise,have a job lined up and no criminal record,opposite here though oddly unfortunately.
@Paddy C: you’re a tad off on the US there Paddy
I suppose it’s fair to say nothing has changed and nothing will ever change when FFG in charge.
I assume that number excludes the homes built for Ukrainians et al
Yawn. News ceases to become news (as in what is new) when one can foresee the future.
I propose that William Slevin gets deported. His tent or house will then become available to help ease the accommodation crisis.
Any seconders?
A Govt that lost the people & the moral authority to govern a long time ago. Listening to Harris speaking every day shows that he has no interest or concerns for the ordinary working Irish taxpayer, spends his days pandering to those arriving in record numbers every week, people are sick of it.
Too many, we need rental houses for us capitalists :)
@John D Doe: No rental houses for capitalists means less houses for people who want to rent! Landlords are needed despite being vilified all the time……. I’d choose to have more small time landlords over REITs anyday because the REITs profits go abroad and pay as little tax as possible!
Cooking The Books
My daughter has 3 young children with autism & asthma her husband took his own life 5yrs ago. She’s been on the housing list for 11yrs now with she currently lives in a private rented house paying €1500 a month. The house is damp and has black mould everywhere it’s so bad that she has to share her room with all 3 kids because the kids bedrooms are so bad. her kitchen and bathroom are a total health hazard with mould, she can’t ask the landlord to fix it because the people that were in it before her were given notice to quit because he was selling up, a for sale went up for the house for 3mths then went down and house was rented out then to her she knows he will do the same if she complains, there are 19 houses empty in our town some have been empty 3yrs there is no sense to it
have your say