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Leinster House Bicycle Shed

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Comments

  • #362
    fliball123
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,619 ✭✭✭fliball123


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122586035#Comment_122586035

    how is it toothless if it has the power to stop something like this before it happens



  • #363
    Andrea B.
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,015 ✭✭✭Andrea B.


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122586213#Comment_122586213

    Save a lot of text.

    Yes, if you were in procurement and spent a significant amount of money on something which is an out of trend cost, by a long shot, yes, you should be held accountable.

    Fair enough?

    So, what has happened here with the shed?

    Out of trend?

    We just want to know the cost/overrun/tender process and breakdown.

    Fair enough?



  • #364
    coldcake
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 158 ✭✭coldcake


    This story will go nowhere. The OPW have form here, remember John O'Donoghue's curtains.

    https://www.independent.ie/regionals/herald/those-mindblowing-expenses-and-where-they-all-went/27928022.html

    The OPW spend like there is no tomorrow and think the spend is totally justifiable if it fits the architectural style etc. The OPW live in cloud cuckoo land. There must have been another site on the grounds that was not so visible to the public where they could of put a much cheaper option in. But no the OPW go mad spending the cash. It's like they are living out their fantasy of how they would design their own place if money was no obstacle. Totally detached from reality. I'm almost feeling sorry for O'Donoghue now, my god!



  • #365
    Needmoretea
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 146 ✭✭Needmoretea


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122581758#Comment_122581758

    It would be grand if I was paying for my own kitchen counter top. I could do what I like, have it sprinkled in unicorn dust, whatever! This is tax payers money though , and people deserve an explanation. To add to that, the bike shed does not even look fit for purpose, it's still exposes the bikes to the elements.



  • #366
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 53,843 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122586249#Comment_122586249

    36 bikes

    Anyway, if I was a betting man I bet a small fraction of the cost announced actually went on the bike shelter. The majority probably went on car park resurfacing that was handily slipped in under this line item.



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  • #367
    Potential-Monke
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,703 ✭✭✭✭Potential-Monke


    Around 10k per space... wouldn't mind but doesn't look like it would stop the sideways rain we get over here... if they ever explain it, it should be fun!



  • #368
    Allinall
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 7,476 ✭✭✭Allinall


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122586350#Comment_122586350

    What’s wrong with bikes being exposed to the elements?

    They’re designed to be used outside. They don’t suddenly become vulnerable when there’s no one sitting on them.



  • #369
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 53,843 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    Bikes have exposed steel parts. It's not good for a bike to be stored outside, just as it's not 'good' for a bike to be used in the rain.



  • #370
    ledwithhedwith
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,007 ✭✭✭ledwithhedwith


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122581749#Comment_122581749

    no offence intended but why bother saying things that are factually wrong. The secgen or minister would not have to sign off on a 300k contract. You are a few rungs off, I don’t think you realise the scope of public spending.

    Post edited by ledwithhedwith on


  • #371
    Andrea B.
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,015 ✭✭✭Andrea B.


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122586360#Comment_122586360

    Is that official 36?

    Reason being that many of these U bars I have seen spaced, make it difficult or not possible to get 2 per slot.



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  • #372
    Jim2007
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 11,037 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jim2007


    I'm always left wondering how this actually happens….

    • At what level does something like this get signed off? Do political appointees get to see it and are too dimwitted to recognise the PR implications
    • Does it even get to a level where there is political oversight or is it purely in the hands of the civil servants
    • Do the civil servants even care about the budget they are responsible for
    • Is it just a couple of vindictive civil servants who what to embarrass the government
    • Is there political involvement in the granting of the contract
    • Are civil servants implicated in the granting of the contract
    • Is the controls so broken that something like this can happily find its way through the approval system
    • Are civil servants raising the red flag, but being overruled

    Of course it is ultimately correct that political appointees are held responsible for the actions of their government, but give the large salary bill for the civil service, plus the budget responsibility they hold, it would be nice to have some kind of assessment as to their competence and our ability to hold them directly responsible for their actions.



  • #373
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 53,843 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122586441#Comment_122586441

    There are (as far as I can see) 18 Sheffield stands. It *should* be possible to lock two bikes to each one.



  • #374
    Seth Brundle
    Moderators, Politics Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 43,837 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122586273#Comment_122586273

    I'm not equating the cost of this project to anything. I'm merely pointing out that insisting on the fraud squad to get involved in any project over €330k is just a stupid idea.

    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122586320#Comment_122586320

    Again, you are asking me to address something I did not state.

    Yes, the cost of this project is not acceptable, what was received is not fit for purpose and we have no idea of how or why it was decided to approve this (although I agree that the speculation about resurfacing the car park is probably correct). However, my post clearly was not referencing this aspect and was responding to a daft suggestion by another poster of mandating the fraud squad to investigate any public spend over €330k.



  • #375
    Andrea B.
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,015 ✭✭✭Andrea B.


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122586461#Comment_122586461

    Based on their competency track record to date, we'll assume 18 for now then.



  • #376
    Tenzor07
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,606 ✭✭✭Tenzor07


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122586441#Comment_122586441

    Who cares, realistically who's going to cycle there from the current Government anyways, Ivana Bacik? Eamonn Ryan after her gets dropped off on Merrion row by his Garda driver and pedals the 2 mins down the road?

    Will be empty for half the year with all the holidays they get too..



  • #377
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 53,843 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    ah, that old chestnut about ryan again.



  • #378
    elperello
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 17,628 ✭✭✭✭elperello


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122584803#Comment_122584803

    Point was that the Thornton Hall waste of money was not on McDowell's watch.

    Debate on prison reform another time another thread.



  • #379
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 53,843 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    not on his watch? thornton hall was bought when he was minister.

    a 150 acre site was bought for 30 million. That is ten times the price per acre what land in the area now fetches. Regardless of whether it was subsequently used, that was an eye watering price to pay for what is still agricultural land.

    i assume you're claiming the waste of money was that the site wasn't used; if someone makes a bad decision, it's special pleading to blame it on subsequent ministers who decided not to compound the original mistake.

    FWIW, 84 acres is currently for sale nearby asking €1.5m. that's a site over half the size, asking one twentieth the price.



  • #380
    MrMusician18
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 8,231 ✭✭✭MrMusician18


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122586453#Comment_122586453

    Speaking generally, this level of spending gets signed off at PO or PO higher level or equivalent. Political appointees do not review spending at this level.

    Civil servants typically do care a lot about the budget of whatever type of project they are running be that infrastructure or whatever else and do try to come in within it. No one sets out to cause an overrun. It's frankly absurd to suggest that any project is overrun intentionally to embarrass the government.

    In accordance with the public spending code and infrastructure guidelines, ordinarily spending requires a business case, and it should be updated as a project goes through decision gates, or whatever they are called now.

    There is no political involvement in the awarding of contracts.

    As for the awarding of contracts and what's broken, maybe we should wait and see what the money was spent on? Perhaps there was some unexpected difficulties, or something else that needed to be done as part of the works. I'm sure the OPW will be in front of PAC soon enough over it.



  • #381
    Needmoretea
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 146 ✭✭Needmoretea


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122586394#Comment_122586394

    Nothing wrong as such but for that cost you would think they would have a bit more cover



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  • #382
    Andrea B.
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,015 ✭✭✭Andrea B.


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122586394#Comment_122586394

    They will deteriorate faster in rain.

    Aside, it is a big plus for a cyclist to don or dof gear and leave helmet in a sheltered spot.



  • #383
    Baba Yaga
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 941 ✭✭✭Baba Yaga


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122585037#Comment_122585037

    aye…my pish is well and truely boiled…and if/when the next re-session hits some gobshite will come out with "but sure we all partied!" eh..no,we didnt,ye bunch of fcukwits pished it all away…

    yo! donnie vonredactedpants,vlad putin,benji netanyahu,vic orban..you sirs are the skidmarks on the jocks of humanity!!!



  • #384
    Tenzor07
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,606 ✭✭✭Tenzor07


    Aye sure we're just dealing with an unelected bureaucracy that has no accountability and spends taxpayers money as if it were monopoly money, they don't care and aren't bothered by Govt. Ministers who can give as many soundbites to the media as they like cos it will make zero difference at all.. no consequences..

    As Einstein says:

    “Bureaucracy is the death of any achievement”



  • #385
    Mr. teddywinkles
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,636 ✭✭✭Mr. teddywinkles


    Lets me guess the outcome of this. No one will be strung up for it.

    Same as always.

    Who quoted and who agreed to this.

    image.png


  • #386
    rob316
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,912 ✭✭✭✭rob316


    IMG-20240906-WA0000.jpg

    20k for this installed. Where is the other 330k so?



  • #387
    kravmaga
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,994 ✭✭✭kravmaga


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122586972#Comment_122586972

    Thornton Hall site in North County Dublin/ Meath is going to be used by IPAS to accommodate up to 1,000 asylum seekers. This site was originally supposed to be for a supermax prison which we badly need as our prisons are full atm.

    Lots of prisoners getting out on early release etc

    https://www.rte.ie/news/2024/0902/1467807-thornton-hall/



  • #388
    Seth Brundle
    Moderators, Politics Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 43,837 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122588026#Comment_122588026

    It was still bought at a stupid price by a former minister who is now complaining about the price our governments pay for things!



  • #389
    AndrewJRenko
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,863 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122581412#Comment_122581412

    What town has  cycle lanes and footpaths that are wider than the roads please? Cycle lanes close to schools would be a good thing, for all those kids who cycle to school, right?



  • #390
    AndrewJRenko
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,863 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122581749#Comment_122581749

    Not true. Sec Gen would typically have approval limits of €1m, though it could well be larger in OPW given their core business. No Ministerial signoff would be needed for a project of this size. I suspect it was signed off at PO level in OPW, though no doubt there's a ton of FOIs in at the moment to answer the specifics.

    It is however, up to the Minister to ensure that there are appropriate procedures in place to ensure value for money, which doesn't seem to have happened in this case.



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  • #391
    AndrewJRenko
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,863 ✭✭✭✭AndrewJRenko


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122586643#Comment_122586643

    There's a lot more people working in Leinster House than politicians.



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