Dublin City Council is set to spend €450,000 on cleaning and maintenance services for the Spire over the next five years.
The local authority is currently seeking tenders from specialised companies to assume responsibility for the upkeep of the 120-metre monument located on O’Connell Street.
The Spire, which was erected in 2003 at a cost of €4.6 million, was originally touted as “self-cleaning” as it was designed to allow rainfall to remove dirt as it flows off the structure.
However, it has required the services of cleaning and maintenance specialists each year at a typical cost of between €80,000 and €90,000 per annum.
Dublin City Council estimates that the cost of these services over the next five years will be €450,000 plus VAT, according to tender documents.
The successful company will be required to maintain the structure and drainage of the Spire, as well as its mechanical and electrical systems. It will also be responsible for the cleaning and general upkeep of the landmark.
Representatives will be required to attend monthly meetings with the local authority, and will oversee works carried out by other specialists and subcontractors.
The Spire consists of a tapered, hollow, stainless steel tube, which is located over a small basement, which houses mechanical and electrical systems, as well as drainage for the bronze apron at street level.
Maintenance personnel access the centre of the spire from a ladder in the underground chamber, and the internal face of the structure accommodates cable trays and other equipment for the 2,000 LED lights at the top.
According to the tender documents, the electricity supply for the Spire is fed from a second underground chamber around 50 metres north of the monument. This contains an ESB substation and is accessed via a hatch on the pavement.
Cleaning and maintenance costs have decreased considerably in recent years. An average of almost €225,000 was spent each year between 2003 and 2011, according to reports.
The largest sum was paid in 2007, when €435,432 was paid out for cleaning and lighting repairs. Similar works cost €324,868 the following year.
