Construction on the contentious €336,000 bicycle shelter at Leinster House had to be paused after a large manhole was unexpectedly found on site, having been missed in the initial site plans, reports Breaking News.
The Office of Public Works (OPW) instructed contractors to stop work in the area following “the uncovering of a significant piece of below ground drainage infrastructure” and a two-foot-wide manhole.
A note from a site visit in August 2023 stated that the discovery would require the OPW to reassess the design of the bike shelter and determine if modifications were necessary, reports Breaking News.
It read: “Please now fully cordon off the area around manhole with barriers and place hazard warning signage to note associated risks. Please also notify all site operatives of this site exclusion zone,” reports Breaking News.
This setback frustrated officials in the OPW, who said the Dáil’s entire summer recess — the usual time for such work — had “now been missed” for progressing the bicycle shelter.
An internal email said: “For context – in the past OPW were not permitted to work outside these recess periods and the flexibility on site has been hard won over the years by tight management and actively delivering projects.
“With increased security concerns and the visibility of these projects – this flexibility can be rescinded at any time by Leinster House,” reports Breaking News.
A follow-up message in September 2023 stressed the urgency of completing the bike shelter, requesting immediate updates from contractors.
The message asked contractors to “confirm without further delay” how the foundation issues would be addressed and whether the work would impact a nearby wall, reports Breaking News.
It read: “This needs to be fully resolved and instruction to start for Friday with the approved option so that ground works can start on Saturday.”
The OPW also asked for the expected delivery date of granite to the site and a definitive timeline for when the bicycle shelter would be finished, reports Breaking News.
It said: “Fully completed bicycle shelter must be returned to Leinster House on 14th January [2024],” reports Breaking News.
Despite the urgency, delays persisted, and the shelter was not operational until several months after the intended date.
The details emerged only after an appeal to the Information Commissioner under Freedom of Information legislation, reports Breaking News.
Initially, the OPW claimed it had no documents relating to delays or cost overruns on the project but was later directed to revisit that stance.
In a clarification note, the OPW stated the €336,000 project fell under the “Maintenance and Minor Works Framework” used for delivering certain assignments.
The note explained: “[The framework] has the flexibility to accommodate stopping and starting of works based on (a) discovery of unknown issues on site and (b) operations of the Houses of the Oireachtas. The [framework] allows for closure of site at short notice without incurring delay claims and costs for stoppages, which would be part of the standard public works contract,” reports Breaking News.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
