The clerk of the Dáil has said he believes the errors in fitting a new printer for TDs at Leinster House were honest mistakes.

In a report, Peter Finnegan found that there were simple errors in the procurement process that led to the cost of the project rising to more than €2m.

The printer is still not active and has caused considerable anger.

He said the whole process was mismanaged but insisted the printer is something that's needed.

“I do understand the public anger out there, he said.

“I genuinely do. I have heard it myself and it is an awful lot of money.

“There is a perception that this project – and it is correct – it wasn’t well managed as a project.

“Nobody can deny that.”

He said that despite repeated meetings between Oireachtas staff and the printing company, issues of space and head height were not raised as a concern

He said he said the cost of maintaining old printers has been very high and he still thinks the business case for buying the new one was sound.

He said the cost of buying and installing the original printers in 2005 was actually higher than this time around.

With reporting from Sean Defoe