THE government's finances may be crumbling but the state ensured that its offices do not go the same way, spending more than €1.5m on renovation projects in Leinster House last year.

Details released by the Office of Public Works show that the money was spent on restoration works and new accommodation.

Other day-to-day work, including painting, flooring and other simple tasks, is carried out by maintenance staff and is not included in the total cost, the OPW said.

The money spent included nearly €200,000 for renovating and fitting out a new office for the former taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

Ahern vacated his previous office in Government Buildings when he stepped down as leader in May 2008.

The suite consists of an office for Ahern, one for his staff, a bathroom, waiting room and storage area. Additional security measures are not included in the overall bill.

The Office of Public Works also invested significantly in a project known as An Siopa, in what has almost certainly become Ireland's most expensive newsagents.

The shop, designed by the award-winning architect's firm of Bucholz-McEvoy, was built at a cost of €978,662.

Further cash was spent on the Merrion Street Pavilion, which was designed to be as unobtrusive as possible and cost €79,703.

The Office of Public Works also invested significantly in fire prevention measures and conservation and structural works to Leinster House.

Substantial risks to politicians and other civil servants who work in the complex have been outlined in confidential reports delivered to the Ceann Comhairle.

However, a major renovation project has been shelved in favour of a piece-by-piece regeneration plan, which will ultimately prove more expensive.

A confidential report delivered last year warned of a "high risk of multi-system failure of structure" inside Leinster House, including a worst-case scenario of the building "being damaged or contaminated beyond habitable use".

A spokesman for the Office of Public Works said: "The works undertaken [since the start of 2008] include the provision of additional accommodation, the Merrion Street pavilion, An Siopa, fire prevention and means of escape, conservation and structural works to Leinster House – with total costs amounting to €1,509,595.78 for 2008 and €61,195.89 for 2009.

"These figures do not include any general maintenance work carried out by our own Office of Public Works building maintenance staff as this would not be considered capital expenditure."