THE BODY THAT runs Leinster House is set to splurge almost €190,000 on a fitness instructor to help keep TDs, Senators and staff in shape over the next four years.

This follows the Houses of the Oireachtas Service seeking tenders for the estimated €188,640 fitness instructor contract over four years.

The fitness instructor is to operate and manage the Houses of the Oireachtas Service Fitness Room.

The contract works out at €3,390 per month, excluding VAT, over the course of the initial two-year contract with options to extend for another two one-year periods.

The tender states that “tenderers must understand that this figure is an estimate only based on current and future expected usage”.

There are currently 160 members of Dáil Éireann and it’s set to increase to 174 after the next general election, along with 60 members of Seanad Éireann.

The tender states that in 2005, a Fitness Room was opened to members and staff working at Leinster House “for the purpose of offering a healthy recreational outlet to counterbalance some of the negative lifestyle aspects of working long irregular hours in the Parliament”.

The Fitness Room is located in the lower ground floor of Kildare House, Kildare Street and is fitted out with cardiovascular equipment treadmills, cross-trainers, exercise bikes and rowers and resistance-training equipment.

These include leg and abdominal machines, free weights and benches, chest, back and multi-functional rehabilitation machines.

The tender states that the machines have been installed recently and were purchased new in the middle of last month.

On the usage of the Fitness Room, the tender states the potential user population of the facility is approximately 1,000 individual users.

It states that 12 to 15 users can comfortably use the room at any one time and the average number of users on a monthly basis is approximately 145.

Some of the equipment at the gym includes four treadmills, a spin bike and an upright bike and two rows. The gym also has four plasma screens.

The Fitness Room is open 18.5 hours per week during non-sitting sessions and for 27.5 hours per week during sitting weeks.

The tender states that the peak periods are mornings and lunchtimes when the fitness room would usually operate at maximum capacity at 12 to 15 users.

The appointed fitness instructor is to be responsible for all aspects of the on site management and operation of the gym.

The tender states that the fitness instructor is to develop suitable personalised training programmes for users; including group classes if feasible.

The fitness instructor is to also assess the training needs of all users and conduct induction courses for new fitness room users.

Any applicant is to have a minimum of two years’ experience in providing fitness instructor services and a current valid fitness instruction qualification.

The tender states that the Oireachtas Service has the exclusive right to review and change the opening hours of the facility unilaterally.

It states that any reduction/increase in the opening hours decided by the Oireachtas Service will result in a reduction/increase in the number of hours paid for.

The deadline for submission of tenders is 25 October.