Sinn Fein man Aengus O Snodaigh used 434 printer cartridges
Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has called for an investigation over the use of 50,600 euros worth of ink printer cartridges by a Sinn Fein TD.
Aengus O Snodaigh used 434 cartridges over a two-year period.
The figure emerged in a report in the Irish Daily Mail, based on information released under the Freedom of Information Act.
The cartridges were valued at 130 euros each and 215 were taken in 2007 and another 219 in 2008.
The use of such cartridges was not restricted in those years, but is now.
Last year, Mr O Snodaigh used 18. That figure was topped by five other TDS - two from Labour, two from Fianna Fail and one from Fine Gael.
Labour's Joe Costello used the most - 25 cartridges at a cost of 3,484 euros.
Mr Martin said the 50,000 euros bill run up by Mr O Snodaigh in 2007 and 2008 was "an extraordinary amount", and said it should be investigated, possibly by the Oireachtas Commission.
Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald conceded that the ink bill was "excessive", but said her party colleague had not broken any rules and said the system was at fault.
Ms McDonald said Mr O Snodaigh did not realise the cost and would not have run up such a bill had he been advised by the Oireachtas authorities.