An inspection of the new Roscommon building found that the electrical installation did not meet current standards, an OPW source told The Irish Times.
The source said that the CCTV system was not on line and internal lighting kept failing. "Some offices have no light switch, as they are fitted in the corridors, so staff can, and have, been left in the dark."
Fire control dampers were fitted incorrectly under raised access floors, a "blind" area where fire or smoke can travel without being seen. Also, the construction around ducts and fire control dampers would have allowed smoke and flames to bypass partitions. In one wing, there was a draught from under the windows that forced staff to wear outdoor clothing and stuff paper in the gaps. The plaster finish on internal walls is also uneven and cracks have appeared in the uneven finish of the granite-tiled entrance foyer.
There was to be a crèche on the ground floor. However, the space allocated to it had too few rooms, no segregation for babies, toddlers, pre-school and after-school children, no baby-changing facilities and a patch of mud and stone that was meant to be an outdoor playground.
The room intended as the crèche is now used for storing files, even though several female members of staff have young children who might have availed of the facility. The "playground" has since been incorporated into the general landscaped area.