Recent revelations about the construction of the Leinster House bike shelter have raised eyebrows as it was disclosed that over €121,000 was spent on steel works alone. The total cost of the controversial project amounted to €336,000, with additional expenses including €45,000 for granite and various other costs.
The breakdown of costs revealed that surveying work cost €11,000, while the outer work on the shelter totaled €53,000. VAT on the construction amounted to over €38,000, with dry work costing approximately €30,000 and day work amounting to over €23,000. The project faced delays, including a week’s stoppage during the election of the new Taoiseach in April.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan criticized the project as “incredibly expensive,” while Taoiseach Simon Harris deemed the expense “inexcusable and inexplicable.” Calls have been made for the Office of Public Works to provide a detailed breakdown of all costs associated with the construction of the shelter.