THE cost of purchasing a controversial Dáil printer and modifying the building where it is housed came to almost €1.8m it has been revealed today.

The sums for the printer and related equipment, as well as structural and other work on the building, are detailed in a report by the clerk of the Dáil, Peter Finnegan.

Questions have been raised about the purchase of the €808,000 printer after it emerged that walls had to be torn down in Kildare House so that it would fit in the building at significant extra cost.

The Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee is investigating the matter.

In his report, Mr Finnegan reveals details of spending on the equipment and building works.

He said the total cost of printing equipment including folding machines and guillotines came to €1,369,605 including VAT.

The projected final cost of works on the print room that were needed as a direct result of the installation of the equipment is around €229,000 excluding VAT.

Mr Finnegan said that the Office of Public Works (OPW) took the opportunity to carry out “necessary works on the fabric of the building while the contractor was on site and access was available”.

These costs are estimated at €195,000 and were not incurred to deal with the issue of printer not fitting in the room, the report says.

It includes €138,000 spent on air conditioning.

The estimated costs under the various headings come to €1,793,605.

Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy, a member of the PAC and oversight body the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, said the costs are a “major source of concern” and the situation is “infuriating”.

She said the commission has not been given information on the industrial relations dispute and it’s something it will want to explore. Ms Murphy said it will be dealt with through the unions and the HR department, but said the issue was “disappointing”.

“The machine was partly purchased to deal with HR concerns in relation to old machines and the kinds of chemicals that were used,” she said. “This [new machine] would be far more environmentally friendly so I’m hoping that’s going to be a factor in resolving this in as quick a timeline as possible.”

In his conclusions Mr Finnegan says the Oireachtas has a significant printing operation providing 18m impressions per year and it requires a large, high volume printing press.

He says: “Based on the evidence reviewed, I am satisfied that the Komori Printing Press purchased is necessary and appropriate to meet the current and future needs in the Houses of the Oireachtas.”

The report says:

“Having reviewed the documents I am of the view that the emphasis during the procurement process was on acquiring a printing press that had a high degree of functionality, was cost effective, and would fit into the Print Facility with an acceptable surrounding work area.

“However, the requirements of the building and other regulations in relation to ‘head height’ were neither understood nor examined during the critical early stages of the project.”

Mr Finnegan adds: “A project of this scale and complexity requires specialist expertise (particularly architectural and engineering) on the project team at all stages and this must be a consideration in all future projects.”

He also says: “A major challenges faced by the OPW and the Print Facility was the requirement to keep the print service operable, to meet the target timelines set out in the SLA (Service Level Agreement), while the installation works were applied.

“In my opinion this contributed to the cost of the structural adaptations.”

He adds that: “Given the printing requirements in the Houses of the Oireachtas as expressed in the Request for Tender Document, it is my opinion that significant structural adaptations would have been necessary in any event.”

Mr Finnegan insists that there was “no attempt on the part of either me or anyone else in the Houses of the Oireachtas to withhold any information on the cost of the Print equipment or the cost and nature of the works.” 

His report provides details of the tendering process.

The tender document said: “The press must be able to fit into a room (L12m W5.8m H2.5m) with an acceptable work area around the press.”

It outlines how the company that sold the printer, Komori UK Ltd observed in their tender response document “that the head room from the Press foot boards to the ceiling is limited.”

They subsequently sent a number of documents in an email on April 25, 2018,  which included a one-page drawing which showed the existing ceiling height of 2.5m and the recommended ceiling height of 3.16m – a different of 0.66m.

Mr Finnegan says: “However, at the time of writing this report I have yet to establish how or if this information was processed within the Houses of the Oireachtas Service.”

He notes that the contract for the purchase of the printer was signed on May 31, 2018. 

Mr Finnegan outlines how Print Room 2 was chosen for the installation of the machine.

He says “a core requirement was to maintain a working Print Facility during the works”.

The report adds: “The M&E (Mechanical and Electrical) works needed were significant.

“The OPW took the opportunity to carry out additional works on the fabric of the building to include the replacement of the obsolete air conditioning unit.”

The main works commenced in August 2019 and the machine was delivered the following month.

After final works the Print Facility was handed back to the Houses of the Oireachtas on November 12.

Mr Finnegan says: “The printing equipment is now installed and commissioned.

“Training has yet to take place as the Houses of the Oireachtas Service and Siptu are in discussions to address concerns raised by the Print Facility Staff.”

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