The group responsible for the administration of Leinster House intends to allocate nearly £190,000 for a fitness coach to maintain the physical health of its TDs, Senators, and workers over the coming four years. This decision follows the Houses of the Oireachtas Service’s request for bids for an anticipated £188,640 contract with a fitness professional. This instructor will be in charge of the working out facility within the Houses of Oireachtas Service.
According to details in the tender, the contract equates to roughly £3,390 per month (VAT not included) during the initial two years, with the possibility to extend two more times for one-year periods. However, these numbers are considered an estimate, which might change depending on the current and anticipated use of the service.
The document also specifies a current member count of 160 in Dáil Éireann, expected to rise to 174 after the next general election, with an additional 60 members in Seanad Éireann. The fitness facility was initially established in 2005 as providing a health beneficial activity that could offset the adverse effects of the irregular and lengthy hours characteristic of Parliamentary work.
Situated on the lower ground floor of Kildare House on Kildare Street, the fitness centre is equipped with cardiovascular machines such as treadmills, exercise bicycles, cross trainers, and rowing machines alongside resistance training equipment. This assortment includes multifunctional rehab machines, benches, free weights, and machines for back, leg, chest and abs.
Replacements for the gym equipment were recently procured mid-last month. About 1,000 individuals are projected to avail this facility and, on average, 12-15 users can be accommodated at any given moment, resulting in around 145 users each month.
The gym boasts a variety of equipment, including four treadmills, a spinning bike, an upright bike and a pair of rowing machines, all enjoyed beneath four plasma screens. Open for 18.5 hours a week when parliament is in recess and 27.5 hours during sittings, the fitness facility experiences peak usage during the morning and midday hours, often reaching its full capacity of 12-15 people.
A primary responsibility of the newly appointed gym professional will be to manage all on-site operations. As outlined in the tender, the fitness instructor is required to design customised exercise regimes for gym-goers, factoring in the feasibility of group exercise sessions. Additionally, the instructor will be tasked with assessing the fitness requirements of all users and conducting introductory sessions for newcomers.
Eligible candidates must hold a minimum of two years’ experience as a fitness instructor, along with a valid and up-to-date fitness instruction qualification. The Oireachtas Service, as indicated in the tender, reserves the sole right to alter the operating hours of the gym as they see fit. Such a change would lead to a corresponding adjustment in the paid hours of the gym services.
The tender submission deadline is slated for the 25th of October.