The OPW controversy reveals systemic issues with how government projects are developed [Video]

LAST UPDATE | 20 hrs ago

IN RECENT TIMES, public attention has been drawn to the exorbitant costs associated with government infrastructure projects.

One such case, involving the construction of a security hut at Government Buildings, revealed a cost of more than €1.4 million. This has sparked public outcry, prompting comments from Tánaiste Micheál Martin, who described the figure as “ridiculous.”

Similarly, the much-debated €336,000 bike shelter at Leinster House raised eyebrows. These cases reveal underlying failures in the management of public projects, and they point to deeper systemic issues in how government infrastructure projects are developed, approved, and executed.

At the heart of these issues lies the splitting of three key roles in the lifecycle of such projects: the approval of the business case, the procurement process and project management. Each of these steps comes with distinct responsibilities, and failures in any of these areas can lead to spiralling costs, as demonstrated by these cases.

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