“An Emeritus Professor said forcing people to retire from the public sector at a set age is ‘discriminatory’ and should be made optional as life expectancy increases …” (more)
[Anne Sheridan, Limerick Leader, 2 November]
“Shortcomings in human resources and management practices at the University of Limerick are sharply criticised in a soon-to-be-published review into alleged misconduct at the institution, it is understood. The investigation was triggered after concerns were raised over the way the university handled a series of disciplinary proceedings against staff and severance packages as well as its use of confidentiality agreements …” (more)
[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 31 October]
“The long-awaited report into a series of allegations of misconduct at the University of Limerick is now in the hands of the Higher Education Authority and the Department of Education and Science. Dr Graham Love, chief executive of the HEA, confirmed that the report was received this week from Dr Richard Thorn, following months of investigations, interviews and analysis …” (more)
[Anne Sheridan, Limerick Leader, 27 October]
“The University of Limerick will be closed tomorrow Monday as a result of a code red weather warning in the area. UL said the decision was made in the interest of safety of the university community …” (more)
[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 15 October]
“… The University of Limerick and Mary Immaculate College have also confirmed they will also remain closed, while a scheduled appearance by celebrity chef, Catherine Fulvio at LIT’s Millennium Theatre has also been cancelled …” (more)
[David Hurley, Limerick Leader, 15 October]
“The report which will examine controversies around finance, human resources and governance at the University of Limerick is now ‘substantially complete’ and is expected to be submitted to the Higher Education Authority next Friday, October 13 …” (more)
[Alan English, Limerick Leader, 7 October]
“Maria Byrne (Fine Gael): I welcome the Minister of State and thank her for coming here to take these matters. I wish to highlight the importance of Mary Immaculate College in Limerick in terms of teacher training. The college was founded in 1898 and is the oldest training college in the State for primary school teachers. It was started by the Sisters of Mercy as part of their convent on the South Circular Road and has expanded over many years …” (more)
[Seanad debates, 3 October]
“Equality campaigners have welcomed confirmation that the University of Limerick is to add a dozen gender-neutral bathrooms to its campus in the near future. This means that UL will soon have a total of 14 gender-neutral toilet facilities …” (more)
[Fintan Walsh, Limerick Leader, 3 October]
“The independent review of certain matters and allegations relating to the University of Limerick by Dr Richard Thorn is currently being finalised …” (more)
[Malcolm Byrne, Higher Education Authority, 3 October]
“An audit of nearly €2m worth of severance payments has led the University of Limerick’s new president to call for an extraordinary meeting of its highest decision-making body. UL paid out a total of €1,903,833 in settlements to 57 former employees within the past decade. All universities are obliged to notify the Department of Education and Skills before any severance terms are approved …” (more)
[Irish Examiner, 23 September]
“The University of Limerick paid out more than €1.9 million in settlements to close to 60 former employees within the past decade, figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show. UL refused to comment on how many of those packages it sought sanction for in advance from the Department of Education and Skills, which it is obliged to notify before any severance is approved …” (more)
[Anne Sheridan, Limerick Leader, 22 September]
“The students’ union at the University of Limerick has said that the move to become a smoke-free campus was by the president’s office and that it has had ‘little control over the rollout of the initiative’. The announcement by UL president Dr Desmond Fitzgerald has provoked anger in some quarters that it plans to implement smoke-free and vape-free zones …” (more)
[Anne Sheridan, Limerick Leader, 4 September]
“The University of Limerick is moving towards having a ‘No-Smoking’ campus, its president Dr Des Fitzgerald has announced. Dr Fitzgerald said there will be designated smoke-free areas all around the campus in the coming months, with some being introduced next month …” (more)
[Anne Sheridan, Limerick Leader, 28 August]
“The president of the University of Limerick has said there is ‘no evidence of anything illegal’ in any of the allegations against the university. The allegations are being examined by a State-appointed reviewer Dr Richard Thorn. The former president of Sligo Institute of Technology is probing up to two dozen complaints made against UL by current and former staff, in areas of finance, human resources, and governance …” (more)
[Irish Examiner, 24 August]
“The president of the University of Limerick has expressed fears that the autonomy of universities will be ‘eroded’ if greater powers are granted to the Higher Education Authority. As a result of the UL controversy and high levels of spending in other third-level institutions, the Minister of Education and Skills is finalising provisions to grant more authority to the HEA …” (more)
[Anne Sheridan, Limerick Leader, 23 August]
“An attempt by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) to mend the historically fractious relationship with University College Dublin Students’ Union (UCDSU) and University of Limerick Students’ Union (ULSU) went unreciprocated this week, as the two unions declined an invitation to a USI-run training event …” (more)
[Dominic McGrath, University Times, 19 August]
“The University of Limerick has come under fire for having two official homes for its president and spending money to maintain them while one is not lived in …” (more)
[Cian Reinhardt, Limerick Post, 13 August]
“The founding president of the University of Limerick is sending his honorary doctorate in the post back to the National University of Ireland, after failing to receive a formal response. Dr Edward Walsh said that he was ‘surprised’ that he has not received a reply in writing from the Chancellor of the National University of Ireland (NUI), Dr Maurice Manning, after he wrote to him nearly a fortnight ago …” (more)
[Gareth Morgan, Independent, 11 August]
“The founding president of the University of Limerick this week confirmed he will send the honorary doctorate back in the post to the National University of Ireland, after failing to receive a formal response from them. Dr Edward Walsh said he was ‘surprised’ that he has not received a reply in writing from the Chancellor of the NUI, Dr Maurice Manning …” (more)
[Anne Sheridan, Limerick Leader, 10 August]
“The costs of maintaining two presidential houses owned by the University of Limerick have exceeded €100,000, with one multi-million euro residence left vacant for nearly a decade. The university sparked controversy in 2010 when a second house costing €2.2m and funded by philanthropist Chuck Feeney of Atlantic Philanthropies was built for its president on campus – at a time when it was €3m in debt …” (more)
[Anne Sheridan, Limerick Leader, 3 August]
