Spending on €336k Leinster House bike shed needed sign-off from only one person

Just one person at principal officer level is required to sign off on projects costing up to half a million euro

The cost of the Leinster House bicycle shed had already attracted outrage, and was described by Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghail as 'a profound embarrassment'. Picture: Tadgh McNally

Spending on a €336,000 bike shed in Leinster House required sign off from just one person, it has emerged.

The Oireachtas Commission which oversees the running of Leinster House, has received a detailed breakdown of spending on the controversial bike shelter, which included €45,000 on granite paving.

It comes as members of the OPW are due before the finance committee on Wednesday afternoon to be grilled on the project.

Breakdown of costs 

At a meeting on Monday, OPW chairman John Conlon revealed that more than €121,000 had been spent on glass and steel for the structure.

Around €11,000 went towards ground works. A further €11,000 was spent by the OPW on surveying the site at the Merrion Square entrance of Leinster House.

It is understood Mr Conlon took responsibility for the controversial spend and acknowledged that they could have done better. 

However, members were told that under the current system just one person at principal officer level is required to sign off on projects where spending amounts to less the €500,000.

Questions were raised at the meeting as to how much the project should have cost, with some raising their dissatisfaction as to the controls behind the project.

Addressing the issue in the Dáil last week, Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghail, who asked the OPW to appear before the committee, described the shed as a "profound embarrassment".

"Lessons must be and will be learned, and there cannot be a repeat of such unwarranted and indefensible expenditure of taxpayers money as TD is elected to represent the people," he said.