€265k taxpayer spend on Leinster House carpets branded 'scandalous' by flood victims

More than €250,000 of taxpayers’ money has been spent on new velvet carpets for Leinster House after the improvements were “prioritised” over other services.

Details obtained by the Irish Examiner show €265,000 was spent on the re-decoration last year, leading to a furious reaction from flood victims who have claimed the move shows how out of touch the political establishment has become.

Freedom of Information Act files confirm that at the start of 2015 Oireachtas officials became concerned over the “very poor state” of Leinster House carpet and how its image could give the wrong impression to those visiting the facility, adding that “urgent” changes needed to be “prioritised”.