Outsourced print contract branded ‘mad’ after almost €1.8m spent on new machine
OUTSOURCING printing at a time when the Oireachtas has bought a controversial new printing machine too big to fit in Dáil offices is being branded as “mad”.
Members of the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) have raised questions about an outsourcing contract reported to be worth as much as €2m.
Fianna Fáil TD Shane Cassells last night claimed “there should be no need for outsourcing” after buying the state-of-the-art printer. He added that it’s “just mad”.
It comes after a week of controversy over the purchase of the printer, which required significant spending on structural work for Kildare House so it would fit in the building.
The PAC is probing costs linked to the project totalling almost €1.8m, as well as the outstanding question of who is responsible for the blunder.
The spending included more than €1.3m on various pieces of printing equipment – with €808,000 of this going on the Komori machine itself. There was €229,000 worth of structural work carried out so the printer could be installed.
The Office of Public Works (OPW) also took the opportunity to carry out other “necessary works” on the building while the contractor was on site at an estimated cost of €195,000.
The printer is not yet in use amid demands by staff for training to operate the machine.
Now it has emerged the Houses of the Oireachtas has awarded a contract worth as much as €2m for the outsourcing of printing work.
Legislation, Seanad election ballot papers and general election handbooks are among items covered by the contract.
The Dáil and Seanad elections are expected to take place next year. The contract is reported to have been awarded for a minimum of 12 months, with an option for extension.
According to TheJournal.ie, it may not end up costing as much as €2m, as the need for the printing material specified in the tender only arises infrequently.
Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy said she wants oversight body the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission to look into the issue.
She said if there’s spare capacity with the purchase of the new printer, the Oireachtas needs to be working towards “cutting down the outsourcing”. Ms Murphy, a member of the PAC and the Oireachtas Commission, added: “We’re going to have to find a way to get some value out of this machine.”
Clerk of the Dáil Peter Finnegan compiled a report on the purchase of the printer which did not identify who was responsible for the error that led to the extra spending on building work. The PAC has sought more information from the Oireachtas and the OPW.
In the report, Mr Finnegan said “the requirements of the building and other regulations in relation to ‘head height’ [for the printing machine] were neither understood nor examined during the critical early stages of the project”.
He suggested such a project requires specialist expertise at all stages. Mr Finnegan said he is satisfied the machine that was purchased is “necessary and appropriate to meet the current and future needs” of the Oireachtas printing service. Outsourcing costs amounted to €50,000 in 2018.
The Oireachtas did not respond to queries about the outsourcing contract and why it allows for possible printing costs of up to €2m.