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THE REFURBISHMENT OF Leinster House is set to cost in the region of €17 million, an Oireachtas Committee has heard today.
Clerk of the Dáil Peter Finnegal told the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee that the refurbishment of the building where the Dáil and Seanad are housed should be completed next month.
In 2016, it was announced that Leinster House, which is 272 years old, would be undergoing a major programme of restoration.
Sinn Féin TD David Cullinane asked about the overall costs of the works, stating that reports in 2017 projected the cost at €8 million.
Finnegan said that would have been a “rough estimate” at the time, adding that the total project spend – which includes design and construction – comes in at €14.87 million.
He said the final cost will come in at about 15% above that, at roughly €17 million.
The refurbishment included the relocation of the Seanad to the the Ceramics Room of the National Museum.
Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell asked what costs the Houses of the Oireachtas had incurred in relation to the move.
As part of the deal to relocate the Seanad to the National Museum building, Finnegan said the commission paid €500,000 to install a lift in the museum. He added that other costs relating to securing doors were also incurred by the Houses of the Oireachtas.
As part of the upgrade, structural strengthening to some existing floors, as well as fire upgrading works were carried out.
Refurbishment of the existing historic windows, window shutters and other internal joinery items, as well as stone repairs both internally and externally were completed.
Significant work was also carried out on the roof of the building.
Leinster House was commissioned to be built between 1745-47 and was originally known as Kildare House after James Fitzgerald, the Earl of Kildare.
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How many people housed with 17millon oh forgot that’s way down the gravy trains parisites things to be done list
@Gerard Heery: should we let the building fall down ? Or put peoples lives at risk by doing it on the cheap ..
@Gerard Heery: looks like more fortifications on repair list than nessasary work
@Gerard Heery: they could be repairs to save money further down the line on repairs. You don’t wait until something is falling apart before doing something about it.
@Gerard Heery: don’t know don’t care!
A modern new building could be built out of that money.energy efficient time they moved out of that old building it’s costing to much to keep it going..
@Robert Phelan: yeah let it fall down ..
@Robert Phelan: yeah, a prefab beside a ghost estate in Canan would be suitable for both houses while we let a near 300 year old building whose design was used for the white House fall down. What’s next, bulldoze Newgrange to make way for a drive through McDonald’s??
I’m all for protecting our heritage and the upkeep of important buildings. No problem with it being kept up to standard tbh. However, I know in my heart and soul that it’s over budget and there’s millions being wasted. Why? Because it’s endemic with this government. Yes. By all means maintain it. But please stop wasting money on public projects. The amount of waste is inexcusable.
@Stephen Duggan: no it’s not over budget .. all of these were rough costs .. read the article.. looks as if it was done on a time and materials rate as there was no way working out the overall cost .. old buildings like this one are money pits .. to.bring it up to modern standards costs a lot of money espec6when it’s a listed building
@John Kelly: especially when
@John Kelly:
I’m almost finished working on and old stone built building and the costs have been a lot higher than expected. You cannot predict what an old building will throw at you.
@Stephen Duggan: I agree. One example of wasting money instead of restoring the radiators every radiator was removed a replica made at a cost of €2000 each, original radiators put into storage for a fee.
Granted 8 million, planning to spend at least 17.
@Artugal: these were all estimates .. read the article ..
@John Kelly: granted by an estimate shouldn’t be over 50% off. If twas an isolated incident it’d still be ridiculous but you can guess what else I’m gonna pt. 2
@G Manning: by – but
Hope a good job is done .. we all own this building and it houses our parliament..
@John Kelly: are you serious… Its our own… And who do the homeless belong to. Who do the people lying on trolleys belong to.. Who do the people living in so called hubs belong to… You should be ashamed to say its our house of Parliament.. Because they don’t give a dam about the people of this country…
@Thomas O Connor: so should we let it fall down .. I knew someone would have this response.. there are always issues to be resolved in a functioning democracy.. if our parliament cant do its business then the issues will not get any better .
@Thomas O Connor: a damN. Damn has an ‘n’ at the end.
We may own it but can u just walk into it No
@Geraldine Oconnor: Yes you can. Any citizen is entitled to view the Dáil in session.
@Geraldine Oconnor: yup not actually that hard.
@John Kelly: completely agree but you can comfortably hold that view and have a serious problem with a 50%+ overspend.
@G Manning: Read the article. It wasn’t an overspend. When you open up a very old building you have little idea what you’re going to find. Especially in a building that was a home and is now repurposed. It’s several hundred years old and hopefully will last several hundred more. Of course we could just knock all these buildings down like we did in the 60s and and 79s and build the likes of Hawkins House.
@John R: i did. Based on the original estimate it was an overspend. Well aware the unforeseen variables involved in renovations, especially of a building this old. A fact the people giving the original estimate should’ve been eminently more aware and, in as much as was possible, accounted for same in said estimate. Or, and I’ve no evidence this is the case, did they just lowball to get the contract? You’re the only person saying anything about knocking it down!
Makes Prince Harry’s £2.4m look like chicken feed!
@Stuart Wootten: that was his own house .. how much is the refurbishment of the houses of parliament in the UK going to cost
@John Kelly:
Was waiting for someone to bring up the cost of westminster refurbishment.
That would be an eye-watering 4bn pounds…
@Tim Pot: is that all .. only 4bn.
Ah sure it’s only public money.
@Tommy C: it’s actually tax payers money from the public purse .. should we let the building fall down ?
• And homeless people on the streets!!!
• I hope those Fat cats are comfortable in their new surroundings
• Yet another overrun by FFFG
• Does anything they ever do come in under budget?
^ I think that covers it all
@Tweety McTweeter: You forgot Kylie, socks and Irish water
@Tweety McTweeter: Only the Port Tunnel.
@Fiona Fitzgerald: And the Luas phase 2
FFS, What is it with this government and overspending. they are quickly putting the last FF government in the haypenny place when it comes to spending
Who were the builders? #SafeAsHouses #RougeBuilders #CowboysTed.
That money be better spent building house’s for people
@Fran O’Keeffe: we do need a building to house our parliament and it needs to be safe and fit for purpose
@Fran O’Keeffe: ok so what people and should we let the building fall down ?
Shades of the children’s Hospital again!!
@Niall Sheridan: from the Cambridge Dictionary: Estimate “to guess or calculate the cost, size, value, etc. of something”.
It was an estimate and it was rough at that time. Get over it nobody cares the country is flying.
Way off the rough estimate…it’s laughable how these crooks operate
@Sean Collins: what crooks where?
@Sean Collins: You haven’t a clue have you? Very old buildings are money pits. This building used to be a home. Now it’s a Parliament. Used to house dozens. Now hundreds. It’s nearly three hundred years old. You never really know what you are going to find until you open it up. Im actually surprised it was so little.
As for Westminster? Cost of refurbishment to stop it falling down? Billions. Literally. We got off lightly and it is a public asset for the future. Grow up. Perhaps you would prefer if we knocked all historic buildings down?
Sinful wanton waste of money. Someone related here i would say is on the gravy train.
@Dave Barrett: Why? Would you rather see it demolished? It’s nearly 300 years old!
who is leo going to insult or upset over this relevation
I understand where so many of you are coming from thinking that it’s a waste of money and to some degree you’re correct. It IS a luxury to refurbish a buillding such as this! However, this building is part of our national heritage and take it from me (someone who has worked extensively in the refurbishment of this building) it was badly needed and for the effort and man hours that have gone into the works, it has been worth it. There was structural & cosmetic damage that needed to be addressed, and let’s face it, it would only cost even more down the line.
Half a mill for a lift !!!
Hopefully at least is a job done right – but somehow I doubt today’s building standards can last any short length of time – never mind 272 years from when it was first built.
@Anthony Clark: some people here want to.let it fall down
@Anthony Clark: Actually refurbishments of old buildings by OPW are usually down very well and respect the old techniques, many of which will have been used.in this refurbishment side by side with more modern interventions. .
Why don’t we spend all tax money on the homeless, and close the parks, museums, libraries
Money we’ll spent.
@Mick paisley: Did you get the contract Mick?
Easily known its bit there money,
After a night out I wandered in to the grounds mistaking it for a college campus and was swiftly removed by Gardai…maybe a face lift wouldn’t go a miss!
@Pauly_G_87: very good ..
Don’t need restoration Dail & €17 million should provide food/drink and shelter. Dail not important
Homeless forget
It should be an on going project figured into costs for every year, but no this Government loves the big numbers
Palace of Westminster will cost several billion to put right – may last 15/20 years. Because of its history, the Brits have decided to spend the money.
Its history would raise many eyebrows. Andre Walker of the Observer gives a rundown of the thirty private bars in the palace of Westminster.
https://observer.com/2016/10/booze-at-the-palace-british-parliaments-30-bars-for-thirsty-mps/
@Fiona Fitzgerald: Mother of Parliaments – though!
Ill do it for 16.5 million Have the tools and all !!
Nobody ever makes this point about government spending,, most of the money is clawed back in taxes directly on income of the employees/contractors and Vat on the materials, the remaining money paid to suppliers will go towards wages and council rates, with the nett income of the remainder being spent on the only things you can spend money on which is, goods and services, e. g. Workers spending their wages, more Vat etc. Its funny money essentially
@BarronVonVaderHam: yes you’re right and nobody ever thinks that that money is creating employment, keeping suppliers going, keeps Spar selling breakfast rolls etc etc. Just whinge and moan!
@BarronVonVaderHam:
We’re all in favour of Government spending even on new gold plated hospitals and also the upkeep of our ancient beautiful buildings. It simply has to be done if their to survive. But their having a laugh with the repeated outlandish overspending on EVERY single Government project.
Now their telling us that the estimates are being called ROUGH ESTIMATES so what’s the point of asking for estimates at all? …Why not say “go ahead lads ..Ehh just give us your finished figure near the end and we’ll stick on an extra couple of million just in case you didn’t pay yourself enough”…”"sure aren’t we making loads of money on your income tax lads” “and be the holy isn’t the Spar only flying”!…”sure can yee not try and keep the whole thing going for another year” “for Gods sake lads”!!! Gobshi***s
Hope they have it insured for fire ,no one would give insurance for theft ,its endemic
Where is that money coming from ???????
Really very very very funny how these things are now been called (ROUGH ESTIMATES) also very very funny how the usual over spends like inflation,and general higher costs over the projects term are not factored in.(or maybe they are) but still over run?. Its Very Very FUNNY that, that happens on every single Government project. When Joe Public gets work done on his house he expects the builder to stick to the estimate and if not theres a lot of angry words until its sorted . So Joe Public is sick and tired of it …a billion here or a billion there!!!
17 million for a rat infested Dáil what a waste of money it’s disgusting
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