Sir, – Further to “A €336,000 bike shelter: Breaking the cycle of overspending on public projects” (Ken Foxe, Politics, Analysis, September 7th), I am astounded at the outrageous waste of taxpayers’ money on the Leinster House bike shed.
I fear that our Government will just hope that the outrage dies down and they can brush it under the carpet.
As we have a “new broom” Taoiseach, I suggest that he takes the opportunity to thoroughly investigate what went wrong on this small-scale project in order to assure the taxpayers that this wanton waste will not be repeated in the multibillion infrastructural projects coming down the line. – Yours, etc,
AILBHE MURRAY,
Ireland meteor shower tonight: Getting the best view of the ‘shooting stars’ during the Geminids
Stephen Collins: Despite the rhetoric from Mary Lou McDonald, Sinn Féin was the big election loser
Radio Review: At Newstalk, Ciara Kelly gets righteously annoyed
I need to book a restaurant for Christmas dinner with friends. Am I too late?
Cabinteely,
Dublin 18.
Sir, – Your readers are rightly angry about the €336,000 cost of the Leinster House bike shed.
However, let us be positive.
If Dublin-based TDs and Senators are cycling to work, they do not need the €9,000 (TDs) and €5,250 (Senators) they receive every year to cover their travelling expenses to work.
And shouldn’t there be a fee charged to members and staff who use this amazing state of the art shed for their beloved bikes?
Furthermore, tourists are allowed to visit parts of the Leinster House campus. A small fee for them to also see and photograph the new bike shed would not be unreasonable.
A selfie with one of our cycling members at the shed should incur a small extra charge.
We’ll recoup this cost with some creative thinking. –Yours, etc,
ENID O’DOWD,
Ranelagh,
Dublin 6.
Sir, – At this remove, those RTÉ flip-flops now seem to have been good value for money. – Yours, etc,
JIM LONG,
Bandon,
Co Cork.