Sinn Féin TD defends €50,000 Dáil print expenses
Sinn Féin TD Aengus O'Snódaigh has today defended his past use of Dáil printer ink cartridges, after he ran up a bill of €50,000 bill over a two-year period, at the cost of the taxpayer.
In 2007, the Dublin South-Central TD's used the average equivalent of three packs of the ink per day, at a cost of €130 each, which led to rule changes at Leinster House about free ink allowances for public representatives.
Deputy O'Snódaigh said that while it might look excessive, it was justified, as the toner was used to produce literature to inform members the public about matters of interest.
He said that he has done nothing wrong, and that social media has largely overtaken the traditional leaflet when it comes to reaching the public.
"When you see it in that type of figures, it look excessive, but in those years I would have produced quite a vast amount of literature in the constituency informing people of a wide range of material," he said.
"At that stage I would have had the constituency office open 49 weeks of the year, producing literature and material."
