Portuguese granite and optimistic costings - how price of south Dublin park entrance spiralled to 800,000

"The report said a substantial number of additional resources had been required to complete the project beyond what was expected. This included "bespoke items" such as special Portuguese Alvo granite paving, restraining systems, and benching units. It said substantial remeasurements of the scheme were required because of "inaccuracies and lack of information" in the original proposals."

"The interference of underground utilities with the works and the extra costs and time required to provide alternative design solutions were deemed inevitable. The level of accuracy of the underground services maps was limited, and the exact location and number of said services could only be ascertained at construction stage."

"Speaking in the Dáil last November, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said that while access to public spaces for people with disabilities was "very, very important", the price of the park entrance did not match what was delivered. She called on Taoiseach Micheál Martin to "instigate a waste audit across government"."

A project to replace aging steps at Deer Park in Mount Merrion, Dublin, intended to improve accessibility for disabled people, cyclists, and parents with buggies, experienced substantial cost overruns. Initial grant applications estimated costs at €200,000, but the actual project required significantly more resources. Additional expenses arose from bespoke materials including Portuguese Alvo granite paving, restraining systems, and benching units. Substantial remeasurements were necessary due to inaccuracies and insufficient information in original proposals. Underground utilities, including pipes and wiring, required protective measures and alternative design solutions, with limited accuracy in existing service maps complicating construction planning.

Read at Irish Independent