Anger over 'further waste of public money' at OPW 'justified'

An OPW project to replace an unsafe 70m perimeter wall around a Government office ended up costing more than €490,000

The OPW acknowledged there were 'very significant delays as well as increased costs' on the job at Lansdowne House in Ballsbridge. Picture: Colin Keegan/ Collins

Public anger at the Office of Public Works (OPW) is justified after the replacement of a wall at a Government office cost more than €490,000, a Social Democrats TD has said.

Dublin Central TD Gary Gannon called for further accountability within the OPW, particularly increasing oversight for projects carried out by the office.

It was revealed on Tuesday that the cost of replacing a wall at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in Dublin had initially been set to cost €200,000 exclusive of Vat.

However, following the discovery of a live ESB cable and leaking pipes, there were significant delays and additional costs.

The overall cost was more than double the initial estimates, where it cost the OPW €240,000 to demolish and rebuild the wall itself. A further €250,000 was spent on addressing issues with the live ESB wire.

In a statement, the OPW acknowledged the “very significant delays as well as increased costs” on repairs at the site.

Mr Gannon said there would be “justifiable public anger at this further waste of public money by the OPW”.

“While nobody could have foreseen some of the issues that arose in advance — such as the discovery of a live ESB cable and a leaking pipe — the OPW needs to explain how this project could end up costing such an eye-watering sum of money,” Mr Gannon said.

It is extremely concerning that relatively straightforward issues can derail a project to such an extent — and leave the public on the hook for yet another massive OPW bill.

“There are worrying parallels here with other wasteful projects, such as the Leinster House bike shelter and extravagant security hut. This includes a complete lack of oversight — or any awareness of the runaway costs — by previous ministers with responsibility for the OPW.” 

Aontú’s Peadar Tóibín described the cost as “eye-watering”, adding the OPW was “divorced from the cost reality of the rest of the country”.

It comes as a new junior minister responsible for the OPW is to be appointed on Wednesday, with Regional Independent TD Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran to take up the role.

He is the third OPW minister in the last 12 months, following reshuffles over the last year.