Finn O’Shadow

Let’s talk about the Office of Public Works (OPW) – a government body that, at this point, seems less concerned with public welfare and more obsessed with squandering taxpayer money. From exorbitant construction projects to utterly ridiculous expenditures, it’s clear that the OPW has no regard for fiscal responsibility or the trust the Irish people have placed in them.

Take, for example, the recent wall project at the Workplace Relations Commission’s headquarters in Dublin. What was initially a straightforward task to replace a 70-meter perimeter wall quickly spiraled into an absurd €490,000 mess. The original estimate? €200,000. But instead of keeping to their budget, the OPW racked up unexpected costs, including a €54,000 bill to the ESB to reroute a live electrical cable. And, of course, there were further delays and additional costs as if that wasn’t enough. Let’s be honest here: this wasn’t a complex task—it was just poorly managed from the start.

If you think that’s bad, let’s talk about the bike shelter at Leinster House. The OPW decided that a €336,000 bike shelter was a reasonable expense. For a few bicycles. That’s right, a “state-of-the-art” shelter for a mere 36 bikes, which cost us more than the average person’s home. And for what? To cater to the virtue signaling of a handful of elected officials? At this rate, you’d think the OPW is building luxury apartments, not government structures. It’s absolutely mind-blowing that no one is asking how this was allowed to happen.

And as if that wasn’t enough to make you want to scream, let’s add the €825,000 lavatory refurb at Iveagh House to the mix. Yes, you read that right. Nearly a million euros to fix some toilets. Of course, they say it was to improve accessibility and address a leaking roof, but for that price, you could build a state-of-the-art public facility. It’s clear the OPW has no problem splashing out on extravagant, unnecessary upgrades while the rest of the country struggles with issues that truly matter.

But the worst part of all of this? The blatant disregard for the very public funds they are supposed to be safeguarding. Every decision seems to scream, “We don’t care about you, the taxpayer.” The OPW is playing a dangerous game with money that isn’t theirs, and the results speak for themselves. Every single project they touch seems to end in financial chaos, and it’s the Irish public who foots the bill.

We’re long past the point where these missteps can be written off as simple mistakes. This is a pattern. A dangerous, reckless pattern of mismanagement that shows no sign of stopping. The OPW doesn’t seem interested in being held accountable, and the taxpayers are the ones paying the price.

It’s time for the OPW to face the music. These lavish projects, bloated budgets, and poor planning need to be called out for what they are: a complete and utter disregard for the people they’re supposed to serve. Enough is enough. The public deserves better than this – we deserve transparency, accountability, and responsible management of our hard-earned money. It’s about time the OPW is held to account for this outrageous waste.