John Conlon, the Chairman of the OPW, emphasized the excessive costs of the bicycle parking facility: "the overall cost of delivering a covered bicycle shelter at Leinster House is completely not acceptable in the wider context of value for money and value for the taxpayer." He stressed the need for reflection within the OPW in order to reassess spending priorities.
Conlon noted the lack of communication regarding project costs: "The price of the project should also have been communicated to the Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, so that the costs could be considered and fully understood." This highlights the need for better transparency in government projects.
In a move towards better accountability, he mentioned plans for an external audit: "In order to ensure full transparency and to provide independent verification on this project, I intend to seek an external audit." This step reflects an effort to enhance oversight and governance within public spending.
On future initiatives, Conlon announced stricter cost assessment measures: "all projects between €200,000 and €500,000 will in future be required to have an initial cost and value for money assessment presented to relevant management for approval to proceed." This indicates a significant shift towards more responsible project management.
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