Politicians printed almost 14m items like birthday cards and calendars using Oireachtas facility

Michael Healy-Rae ordered 55,400 personalised calendars in 2020 and 2021 explaining that they contain the times and dates of constituency clinics and therefore serve an important purpose. Picture:Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos

TDs and senators used the Oireachtas print facility to produce nearly 14m copies of customised items including birthday cards, calendars, and bookmarks over the past two years at a cost of almost €370,000.

A total of 86,910 Christmas cards were also printed during the same period, along with 26,450 postcards, 2,000 St Patrick’s Day cards, and 300 Happy New Year cards.

Other items that were produced at taxpayers’ expense by the facility included 4,100 copies of the 1916 Proclamation, 2,550 congratulations cards, 1,000 thank you cards, and 26,950 sympathy cards.

The cost of the materials used to produce the 13,956,701 copies of printed goods in 2020 and 2021 was €368,928. 

However, this does not include the cost of running and staffing the service, which employs several graphic designers.

Some 288,250 personalised calendars were ordered by TDs and senators during the two-year period, the biggest consumers of which were Fianna Fáil TD Willie O’Dea (77,000), Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae (55,400), and Fianna Fáil TD Niall Collins (36,500).

Mr Healy-Rae defended his use of the facility to print calendars, explaining that they contain the times and dates of constituency clinics and therefore serve an important purpose.

“That’s not a calendar, it’s an informative piece of information that’s there to let people know when they can meet me, sit down with me, look me in the eye, and ask me to do what they want me to do, which is what I’m elected to do,” said the Kerry TD.

I use the [printing] service an awful lot … It’s just part of what the political system is and, as far as I’m concerned, to do your job right you should be using that service.

Records released under the Freedom of Information Act show that the ministerial changes shortly after the government's formation in 2020 resulted in some waste of printed materials.

Fianna Fáil’s Barry Cowen ordered 5,200 copies of letterheads, business cards, and compliment slips referring to his new position as agriculture minister just five days before he was sacked on July 14, 2020.

These could not be used and, three days later, he had to order the same quantity of stationery to reflect his role change.

“I’d ordered relevant printing material … having been appointed a minister. After my dismissal, I obviously needed to revert to material as a TD again. Unfortunate but necessary,” said Mr Cowen.

Dara Calleary, who ordered 8,800 stationery items relating to his original appointment as a junior minister on July 10, placed a new order for the same quantity of items reflecting his promotion as agriculture minister the day after he succeeded Mr Cowen on July 15.

However, he resigned after just 37 days in office following the Golfgate controversy, and had to order 3,500 new letterheads shortly after returning to the backbenches as a TD.

Among the more unusual items produced was a print run of 500 birthday cards for Fianna Fáil Senator Aidan Davitt last May. He did not respond to a request for comment.

Former senator Brian Ó Domhnaill had 2,000 St Patrick’s Day cards printed in February 2020, while Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae ordered 300 “Happy New Year” cards in December 2020.

A spokeswoman for the Houses of the Oireachtas Service said that members are entitled to use the print facility “in connection with their parliamentary duties” and are responsible for compliance regarding its appropriate use.