Politics

Eamon Ryan ‘shocked’ at over-€335,000 cost of bike shed at Leinster House

Minister says OPW has questions to answer over cost of structure that allows for storage of 18 bikes

A new bicycle shed for Leinster House cost more than €335,000. Photograph: Bryan O Brien/The Irish Times
A new bicycle shed for Leinster House cost more than €335,000. Photograph: Bryan O Brien/The Irish Times
Sarah Burns
Mon Sept 02 2024 - 14:28

A new bicycle shed for Leinster House that cost more than €335,000 and allows for storage of 18 bikes is “too expensive”, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has said.

Mr Ryan said the Office of Public Works (OPW) had questions to answer in relation to the cost and that he was “shocked” when he saw the price.

“Perhaps they [the OPW] have a reason, but I wasn’t aware of it, and I think we have to show that we spend the public money wisely and that sort of cost seems to me, very high,” he told reporters on Monday.

The cost of the bike shed was revealed in The Irish Times over the weekend. A breakdown of costs from the OPW showed €322,282 was spent on the main construction and installation project.

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A further €2,952 was spent on archaeological services while €10,816 was paid for quantity surveying services and “contract administration services”. The shelter required archaeological advice to make sure it fitted in at the parliamentary complex.

The former Green Party leader said it was important to have bike sheds but that “we need to do things cheaper than that all over the country”.

[ Bike shed at Leinster House cost more than €335,000 ]

Mr Ryan also said if public transport infrastructure, such as bus shelters, was too expensive the State would not be able to deliver it.

“I think this [the bike shed] could be a useful lesson to say ... how can we deliver good architecture, good street furniture, good kind of support the people want, but not make it so expensive,” he said.

“Maybe, in some ways this case might make the case for us doing things cheaper and standardising so it won’t be as expensive.”

Separately, Mr Ryan said a two-drink limit at airports would be “very difficult to police”. Last week, Ryanair’s chief executive, Michael O’Leary, called for alcohol limits to help tackle antisocial behaviour on flights.

The Minister said although there was an issue with behaviour on flights and he could understand why Mr O’Leary would want that limit, he found it “hard to see how it would work”.

“We do need people to behave ... safety in aviation is the first priority for other passengers,” he said. “But I’m not sure how practically it will work.”

Mr Ryan said there were already strong sanctions for people who misbehaved on flights and the courts “do not look lightly on anyone who disrupts an airplane by their behaviour”.

“I think that’s probably the better way of keeping things in check, rather than trying to police how many drinks people have in the airport,” he said.

The Minister was speaking as a new campaign and funding programme for community climate engagement was unveiled in Baldoyle, north Dublin, this morning.

Sarah Burns

Sarah Burns

Sarah Burns is a reporter for The Irish Times