Marie Sherlock (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Conlon and all his team for attending the meeting today. I congratulate him on his appointment. It is regrettable that he is having to attend the committee in these circumstances. It is very sad for all the OPW staff across the country that such a cloud is being cast over the organisation now. Some excellent work is being done.

Regarding the bike shelter, many people have expressed their outrage at the cost. I am also outraged at the time that was spent on the design. As a cyclist, I find myself extremely irritated that the OPW seems to have no problem with all the cars parked at the front and back of Leinster House, yet it was intent on hiding the bike shelter. All the talk with the bike shelter was about the serious impact it would have on the integrity of Leinster House and the undesirability of having it visible to the public, such that an objective should be that it was out of sight and the impact should be minimised on the vista of Leinster House. We are talking about a bike shelter. We are not talking about a cowshed being put on the grounds of Leinster House. To be very clear, the objection to a bike shelter, and the intent to try to hide it, is really frustrating.

I want to ask about the accounting processes within the OPW. In the final account in front of us, there is a line about day works. I am a bit confused by that. Do day works refer to something separate to the covered shelter and the other works or do they relate to them? I see it is a very neat 12.75% of the total cost. To what precisely does this expenditure relate?