TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT Minister Eamon Ryan has agreed that the €335,000 price tag of a bicycle shed at Leinster House was “an incredibly expensive cost”.

Yesterday figures released under the Freedom of Information Act found that €335,000 of public money was spent to install bike parking spaces at the Oireachtas buildings on Kildare St, in Dublin.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) said the high cost was because a high-quality structure was needed due to the sensitive location. The installation was part of a number of upgrades taking place at Leinster House by the OPW.

Speaking today, Eamon Ryan said he looked forward to engaging with the OPW as to why the bike shed was so expensive and added that, he believes, the Government should review the cost of the parking spaces should they be installed elsewhere.

“If it’s so expensive, that will reduce the amount of bicycle parking spaces that we get in,” Ryan said. “I know, it’s a sensitive site – they’ve got to get it right, they’ve their own resources, but I must admit, I myself was shocked when I saw the price.”

A breakdown of costs from the Office of Public Works shows that €322,282 was spent on the main construction and installation project.

A further €2,952 was spent on archaeological services while €10,816 was paid for quantity surveying services and “contract administration services”.

The OPW said: “The bicycle shelter is a new structure located within the setting of Leinster House, a protected structure of national importance.

“In response to the character of the historic setting a well-designed structure with an appropriate use of high-quality materials and finish were required,” it added.

Ryan previously welcomed the introduction of the new bike shed, at the time claiming that it was an example of what can be done at other places around the country to reduce the number of people who drive to work.

Asked today if he believes that this incident could give the ‘Active Travel Scheme’ a bad name, Ryan said he hopes it would not and that he is engaging with the National Transport Authority about adding more bus shelters around the country.

“But if they’re all that expensive, we won’t deliver,” the transport minister said, adding that the Government must question the OPW on the pricing of such infrastructure.

“I think it’s too expensive. Maybe, perhaps, they have a reason but I wasn’t aware of it. We need to show that we spend the public’s money wisely. And that sort of cost – it seems to me – very, very high.”

With reporting by Ken Foxe