A security hut at the entrance to the Department of Finance cost more than €1.4 million, it has emerged.
John Conlon, chairman of the Office of Public Works (OPW), told the Oireachtas Finance Committee that while it involves “fairly significant costs”, the project included a significant mechanical and electrical system that is connected to the Government Buildings campus.
Mr Conlon made the comments while appearing before the committee to answer questions about the high costs of the bike shelter at Leinster House.
The OPW has come under scrutiny for spending €336,000 on the glass-covered shelter, located on the grounds of Leinster House.
Green Party TD Steven Matthews asked Mr Conlon about the cost of the security shelter at the Department of Finance, which the chairman confirmed was an OPW project.
The security hut is located at the south gate entrance to Government Buildings.
Mr Matthews said: “That is a very attractive security hut with a sweeping, copper-clad roof on it. It looks very well.
“What was the cost on that project?”
Mr Conlon said: “The full cost of that project, deputy, will be €1.429 million.
“But I want to emphasise that that followed extensive review of security in this campus by the Garda Síochána Technical Advisory Group and whilst it looks like and is a fairly significant cost, there are very significant mechanical, electrical and security system costs, in that.
“There was also a significant cost to provide a temporary structure where that building was taking place, there was significant underground works, there was significant ventilation, communications.
“There was significant rerouting of underground services, so there is a huge security element to this project.”
Mr Conlon told the committee that the project would have been signed off by the general secretary of the OPW.
Mr Matthews said: “We have the bicycle shelter for €336,000 and a security hut for 1.4 million, and I take your point, and I know the two are completely different projects, but does that seem like an excessive price, and I accept there’s a security element to it, and the controls that go on there. It’s a beautiful structure.
“Is it excessive for what the function of that performs?”
Mr Conlon said: “I don’t believe it is given the significant security dimensions to it, and the security elements of it, which were very costly.
“It’s not just that hub you see… That ties into a control system across the whole campus.
“So there’ll be a lot of routing and that type of work, which is quite hidden, you don’t see it, that pavilion itself, the significant underrun works that took place on that work, and I want to emphasise that there’s a huge amount of networking that arose in that project from in the Leinster House, Government Buildings campus, including power, communications, security and CCTV systems.
“So it’s not just what you see when you look down the south gate, there’s far more to that project than meets the eye. So it’s a completely different project.”
He told the committee that he will provide a breakdown of the costs.
