An OPW project to replace an unsafe, 70-metre perimeter wall around a Government office ended up costing more than €490,000, writes Ken Fox.

The works at the Dublin HQ of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) were originally expected to cost around €200,000, excluding VAT.

However, a live ESB cable and leaking pipe were discovered during preliminary works, leading to extensive delays and unforeseen costs.

It resulted in a doubling of the bill, with around €240,000 spent on demolition of the wall and rebuilding, in line with original Office of Public Works (OPW) estimates.

The extra works to deal with the high voltage live electricity cable uncovered during works added more than €250,000 to the bill.

The OPW acknowledged there were “very significant delays as well as increased costs” on the job at Lansdowne House, in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.

These included payments of €54,000 to the ESB to redirect wires and €61,500 to Dublin City Council(DCC) so footpaths and public parking could be closed off.

Another €82,200 was spent on ancillary costs, according to a breakdown of spending provided by the OPW under FOI after a long delay.

The saga began in March 2021 when the OPW was conducting a building inspection and found the perimeter was “unsafe for health and safety reasons” and had been built without a proper foundation.

A record of a site visit said there was a risk the wall could collapse during a “strong wind or through accidental force”.

A decision was made to rebuild it using salvaged bricks with the building firm Sensori approved as the contractor and a preliminary estimate of €213,366 inclusive of VAT for the work.

The project ran into difficulties in October 2022 when the leaking water main and an electrical cable were found.

An email said: “We encountered an ESB cable... in close proximity to where we need to excavate and partially encased in the existing foundation.

“We are of the understanding from speaking with ESB that the cable is live.”

It was mid-2023 before the ESB removed the cable and work on the wall only recommenced that December.

In early 2024, the contractor discovered there was still some live cable near the works.

They contacted the ESB who said they would require a new application for removal or re-routing.

OPW builders decided it would be quicker to hire a specialist contractor so they could get back to work.

In August 2024, it emerged the reconfiguration and building of the wall had left a shortfall of around 750 “special” blocks needed.

A note said: “Following an extended period of review and a subsequent sixth sample (19th September), [this] was approved and is now in production.”

Project delays caused frustration for the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), which lost many parking spaces.

An email from their director general to the OPW in December 2022 said: “This latest issue has caused the project to come to a complete stop.”

The OPW said because it was a conservation area, they decided to retain existing blocks.

“Total costs in the wall removal and reconstruction was €201,500 ex VAT, in line with the original estimate,” they said, adding works on the cable were now complete.

“The total additional cost due the discovery of the live wire cable was €211,300 ex VAT,” an OPW information note said. “The fact that the live wire was found, which posed a serious health and safety risk introduced an unforeseen complexity into the project, increasing time and costs.”