Sir, – The Taoiseach says he is “shocked” by the €335,000 cost of a bike shed at Leinster House, describing it as “extraordinary”, “extortionate”, “inexplicable” and “inexcusable” (News, September 3rd). The Tánaiste describes it as “incredible”, and the Minister for Transport says it’s “incredibly expensive”, and the Minister for Justice says the cost is “astronomical”.
These po-faced statements would have a little more credibility if they weren’t made by people who have presided over countless billions of waste in public expenditure within their own areas of responsibility.
On the national children’s hospital alone, the original €900 million budget has ballooned to €2.3 billion, most of which arose during the Taoiseach’s tenure as minister for health. Just think – with this €1.4 billion we could have built 4,200 identical bike sheds, one in every townland in Ireland!
It says a lot about the mindset of Ministers that waste on a bike shed has led to this chorus of faux outrage, while grotesque waste on public projects is consistently defended tooth and nail, and tax cuts are kept to a bare minimum because of the need to continue generating the means of funding this waste. – Yours, etc,
BARRY WALSH,
Dublin 3.
Sir, – C Northcote Parkinson in his 1958 book Parkinson’s Law described the Law of Triviality, giving the example of a group who, instead of approving a nuclear power plant, spends its time discussing the staff bicycle shed. Parkinson meant the story (known as the bike-shed effect) to be a warning, not a plan of action. – Yours, etc,
Dr JOHN DOHERTY,
Gaoth Dobhair,
Co Dhún na nGall.
Sir, – Why is a bike shed necessary at all in a secure area like Leinster House? If politicians and staff in the Oireachtas complex want to keep their bicycle saddles dry, why not issue them all with a plastic bag and a few elastic bands? Surely Dublin needs on-street shelters for rough sleepers more than bicycle sheds? – Yours, etc,
KARL MARTIN,
Dublin 13.
Sir, – It would be very interesting to carry out a survey as to how many bicycles are actually using the new facilities at Leinster House on a daily and weekly basis. I know someone who would be happy to do such a survey – for a small fee, of course. – Yours, etc,
LAURA O’MARA,
Stillorgan,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – If the new bike shed in Leinster House is big enough, maybe it might be possible to fit the Dáil printer there as well. – Yours, etc,
Dr EDWARD HARTY,
Bealadangan,
Co Galway.
