A newly erected security cabin at Government Buildings, praised for its aesthetic appeal, has come with a notable €1.4 million price tag, government officials were informed. The Chairman of the Office of Public Works (OPW), John Conlon, deemed this expenditure reasonable given the discreet work involved pertaining to security and communication efforts.
The revelation about the cabin’s cost appeared as OPW representatives presented themselves before the Oireachtas Committee on Finance and Public Expenditure to answer queries about the contentious expense of €336,000 for a bike shelter at Leinster House. The aesthetically pleasing security cabin, adorned with a curved copper roof, was called into question by Green Party TD Steven Matthews within this context.
John Conlon laid emphasis on the fact that supplementary works including mechanical, electrical and security systems incurred significant costs for the project. He also made mention of the non-trivial expense involved in setting up a makeshift structure during the hut’s construction. Furthermore, he declared that the cabin’s price tag also accounts for an in-depth security review conducted on the campus in partnership with the Garda.
Responding to Mr Matthews’ query on whether the expenditure was excessive, Mr Conlon maintained that it was justified, considering the essential security features rolled out. The cabin is linked to a larger control system that comprises extensive, largely covert work including power, communications, security and CCTV systems embedded across the entire campus.
“We don’t just see a pavilion when we behold the south gate—it’s not the sum total of the project work undertaken,” said Mr. Conlon, underlining the significance of the subterranean work and extensive networking integral to the construction.
Mr Matthews inquired about a cost outline from the representatives of the OPW for the committee. Meanwhile, Leinster House management dismissed the ‘cost-effective’ bicycle parking solution proposed by the Office of Public Works (OPW) as undesirable, as shown in recent documents.
The construction of a bicycle shed costing €336,000 on the Merrion Square side of Leinster House by OPW had stirred up controversy for several weeks. particularly with the Oireachtas Commission, the body responsible for operating Leinster House, voicing strong disapproval of the expenditure.
According to a recently published OPW report on the bicycle shed construction, the agency expressed preference for a location within the heart of the building complex, near the members’ dining area, during project discussions in April 2021. The report points out that the agency’s preferred location was West Road, which is in front of the 1966 building and beside the Members’ restaurant. The location, being more discrete and accessible, would not impact on listed buildings and could be a more affordable option.
Despite seeming operational changes concerning site access and security, the OPW believed these were manageable. However, the Oireachtas Commission, chaired by Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghail and primarily consisting of politicians, considered both covered and open bicycle parking on West Road to be unsuitable, with security advice supporting this stance.
The Commission requested that a covered bike parking option with possible e-bike charging stations be created as close to Leinster House as possible, on the Merrion Square side. Notably, OPW pointed out the possible visual detriments to placing covered facilities on either side of Leinster House that would be seen by the public. In addition, they emphasised such facilities would be more expensive than those located away from the public eye. Though at this stage no cost estimate was provided, the report highlights.
In June 2021, the OPW submitted a proposal for a bike shed to the Oireachtas Commission. The proposal was accepted but no specific costs or estimates were outlined at that time. A change is planned within the OPW management; all future projects that exceed €200,000 will be required for monitoring and approval. This is a significant decrease from the former limit of €500,000.
At a recent committee meeting on Wednesday, Mr Conlon expressed that the bike shed has been a significant source of anxiety for politicians and the general population. Acknowledging the irritation and disillusionment of the public and elected officials, he committed to taking immediate action to prevent such incidents from recurring.
He pointed out that though the expenditure on this project could be justified, the total expense of the bike shed is excessive in terms of return on investment and taxpayer value. The excessive spending for a bike shelter is something that the OPW needs to contemplate on, he added.
Mr Conlon also reported that the project has undergone review, and that the facility design was conservation-oriented, aiming to meet the client’s requirements. However, he made it clear that immediate actions are being undertaken so that future large-scale projects prioritise cost-effectiveness and are primary in their processes.
Furthermore, Mr Conlon confirmed that the OPW will ensure complete transparency about all associated costs for any voluntary projects in Leinster House to the Oireachtas Commission.