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Documents revealing the cost of the project focused public attention on the use of public funds. Alamy

OPW says price of €356k bike shed would've been 'far, far lower' at initially proposed location

The original location was rejected over security concerns.

LAST UPDATE | 25 Sep 2024

THE CHAIRPERSON OF the Office of Public Works (OPW) John Conlon has said the cost €336,000 bike shelter at Leinster House in Dublin would’ve been “far, far lower” if it were constructed at the location it initially proposed.

During a meeting of the Oireachtas Finance Committee today, People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett asked if there was any truth to reports that the OPW had originally proposed that the project be located at a different area of the campus.

Conlon confirmed that the OPW had originally planned for the bike shelter to be placed next to the Members’ Restaurant on the Leinster House campus but the proposal was rejected over security concerns.

The new bike shelter is placed at the back of the campus and is viewable from the public footpath at the entrance of Leinster House on Merrion Street Upper in the city centre.

high-res-image (8) The Bike Shelter as viewable from the public footpath on Merrion St Upper in Dublin. RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

Documents revealing the cost of the project focused public attention on the use of public funds and caused outrage among politicians soon after the details of pricing was published.

Conlon, responding to a question by Boyd Barrett over the difference in the price for both locations, said the cost would’ve been “far, far lower” if it were located at the originally proposed area.

Boyd Barrett said:

“I’m baffled. As somebody who walks from [Agriculture] House into Leinster House every, single day, why that wouldn’t have been a perfectly suitable location.”

Earlier in the meeting, it was put to the management that the bike shelter would not protect bicycles from the rain as the roof of the structure was facing the wall. The management claimed that it was part of the original plans.

Conlon told TDs while he accepts the €336,000 price tag was an “extraordinary cost”, he did not accept that taxpayer money was wasted.

Screenshot 2024-09-25 141056 Conlon said he did not accept that the bike shed was a waste of taxpayers' money. Oireachtas.ie Oireachtas.ie

He said in his opening statement that the price of the 36-space bike shelter was “not acceptable in the wider context of value for money and value for the taxpayer”.

Conlon – who has recently also been appointed as the Accounting Officer of the OPW – added that he has taken immediate steps to review the Governance structures inside the agency since the cost of the bike shelter was first reported.

This includes a downward revision of project approval thresholds – meaning upper management at the OPW must now approve of any plans that cost €200,000 or more. Previously, it was later admitted, the threshold was €1 million.

Asked by Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty if he believes taxpayer money was “wasted” on the bike shelter, Conlon said:

“I don’t accept it was a waste of taxpayers’ money. I do accept it was very, very expensive.”

Doherty added that it was clear, despite making changes to the thresholds only yesterday, that the OPW had not learnt from previous occasions where an “enormous” amount of public money had been spent.

Doherty pointed to the cost of the shop, in a glass structure located the front entrance of Leinster House, which had gone over budget by more than €500,000 in 2014. The TD said that lessons should’ve been learnt at that point.

Mayo TD Rose Conway-Walsh later asked the management of the OPW what reason does the public have to believe that lessons would be learnt arising from the bike shelter controversy.

Conlon defended his position: “I am the new accounting officer. I’m bringing a fresh approach to this, Deputy. I’m going to do my best in this case.”

But later it was revealed that the new security hut located at the back of the campus had cost €1.429 million. Conlon said the vast amount of costs for that project were attributed to the security protocols that were to be carried out. 

Review found cost ‘completely unacceptable’

A review by OPW also found that a bike shelter erected on the grounds of Leinster House came at an “extraordinary cost” that was “completely not acceptable”. During the committee meeting, it was said that the Minister for the OPW had accepted the report.

Many in Leinster House have since expressed disappointment over the amount of money that was spent on the bike shelter, which holds 36 bicycles, and the Taoiseach and other ministers ordered the report into the decision-making process.

FILE PHOTO Bike Shed-2_90713568 Image of the bike shed at Leinster House RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

The OPW’s Accounting Officer John Conlon has said that the cost was not acceptable “in the wider context of value for money and value for the taxpayer”.

“It is an extraordinary cost for the provision of a covered bicycle parking facility and one which the OPW has to seriously reflect on.” He said the OPW will also get an external audit of the project, to “ensure full transparency”.

Oireachtas Committee

Inflation in the construction industry, flood defences and mitigation measures, insurance against natural disasters and the climate impact on areas prone to frequent flooding were also scheduled to be discussed today.

Some TDs, such as Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín, have called for the person who signed off on the bike shed deal to lose their job though Government leaders are in favour a probe that will instead make sure a similar use of public money does not happen again.

New documents, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by journalist Ken Foxe, later revealed how concerns over dust, alterations to the original plans and the timing of Dáil sittings had repeatedly delayed the project.

Speaking during the first Leaders’ Questions session after the Dáil’s summer recess, Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl described the issue as a “profound embarrassment” and said the depth of public anger was justified.

Overspending of public funds will be central at issues discussed between members of the Oireachtas later today, as the Health Committee also prepare to hear a submission from the board overseeing the delayed National Children’s Hospital.

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    Mute Vannin
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 6:51 PM

    It’s great news at last, it’s the small businesses that suffer the most and it’s about time the small companies get the help they need, it’s they afterall that form the communities and hold together society, not some multinational that will bugger off when it suits them or when the “deal” is up.

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    Feb 23rd 2015, 6:31 PM

    Great news more small businesses getting loans grown their companies then taking on 2 job bridge slaves to work for them.

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    Mute Vannin
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 6:54 PM

    Not a fan of jobsbridge but at least there should be a chance of a business for them to go to, which I’m sure in anyones eyes is a good thing.

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    Mute Aasif
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 7:04 PM

    I’d rather sh_te in my hands and clap for eight hours than be a slave for a profitable company big or small.

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    Mute Paul Carey
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 7:58 PM

    So enlighten us as to what benefit you personally bring to society?

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    Mute Charles McDonald
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 8:29 PM

    The benifits class is alive and well in Eire

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    Feb 23rd 2015, 9:08 PM

    My god what an irrelevant person

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    Mute Michael Sands
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 8:29 PM

    Ged Nash will not be elected again I believe, that is what I seem to hear from the Drogheda direction…

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    Feb 23rd 2015, 10:37 PM

    He won’t be

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    Mute John Ward
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 9:17 PM

    Ned Gash is junketing off to Sweden for St Patrick’s Day.
    I sincerely hope that there are some good and caring Irish people in America, Canada, New Zealand, Australia etc. who are well aware of what’s going on at home and will come out and demonstrate wherever these wasters show up! Tell your family members and friends abroad, who have been forced to  emigrate by the actions of this so called government, to let these miserable ministers  know how they feel at the St Patrick’s Day parades around the world.

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    Mute SCO Electrical
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    Feb 24th 2015, 12:50 AM

    Keep Calm & Crowd Fund….

    I’ve seen it all now

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    Mute Jay
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 7:56 PM

    I wish you would shit in your hands. I’ve had two jobsbridge candidates who are still employed. Attitudes like your are the reason hard working folk resent social welfare.

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    Mute Jay
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 8:39 PM

    Assif. Get a job.

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    Mute Jay
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 8:23 PM

    Assif, do you need a hug?

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    Mute Jay
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    Feb 23rd 2015, 8:00 PM

    Assif you tool.

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