The report into why more than €1m was spent on a new printer for the Oireachtas says key structural issues were not understood.

Re-modelling work of almost €230,000 was needed to install the new printer, understood to be a Komori GL-429 model, which is still not operational.

The clerk of the Dáil Peter Finnegan prepared an eight page report for the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

It comes after the Oireachtas purchased a new €808,000 printing press, then had to spend almost €230,000 installing it.

That 229,000 is ex-VAT too so total cost is more than €1.8m https://t.co/wIwIwW9FPB

— Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) November 28, 2019

The report finds "the requirements of the building and other regulations in relation to 'head height' were neither understood or examined" during the critical early stages of the project.

He said a project on this scale needs specialist expertise at all stages.

The report notes that "significant structural adaptions" would have been needed in any case.

Mr Finnegan also found the printing press itself is necessary and appropriate to meet the printing demands of TDs and Senators, despite the high cost of the project.

Speaking earlier, the chair of the PAC Sean Fleming said the Office of Public Works (OPW) also had questions to answer.

"The real tragedy is this printer was paid for last year, still not in operation 12 months later, and it'll be some time next year.

"So not only has it cost a fortune, but the machine is lying idle for well over a year at this stage".

A view of a Komori GL-429 printer | Image: Komori Corporation

"The OPW would have carried out that work this calendar year in 2019, and we will want details as to how that work cost that amount of money and what work was involved.

"I've an open mind; I'll wait and see what work was carried out.

"But the OPW have to come in on this as well, cause they're the people who carried out the construction work, not the House of the Oireachtas".

Reporting by Sean Defoe