James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Chair. First and foremost, I want to acknowledge that 12 months have passed since Storm Babet. A huge body of work has been undertaken locally by the local authority and in conjunction with the OPW in 2023 in trying to advance the Midleton flood relief scheme, which has been long overdue. I wish to acknowledge that at the start of my remarks. I might come back to Mr. Casey with a few questions on this matter towards the end of my time.

Ultimately, we are here because of two incredibly high-profile sagas, one involving a ridiculous costing for a bike shelter and the other, which we have since learned about, involving an exorbitant amount of money spent on a fancy security hut at the side of Government Buildings. Public outrage has been enormous, and rightly so. I want to establish today, having listened to Mr. Conlon’s last exchange on this matter, the decision-making process in full. Who makes the decision around what infrastructure needs to be built and provided in Leinster House? The public has, obviously, laid the blame at the foot of public representatives. We need to get answers to very important questions. Ultimately, who sought the development of the bike shelter? Can the witnesses please give the committee an insight into how that request came about? Whose idea it was?