Ninth Level Ireland

“Senior academics have little confidence in the governance and management capacity of their own higher education institutions, according to a new survey. It also finds many are sceptical over the Government’s ambition to provide the best education system in Europe over the next decade. The findings are contained in a survey of more than 340 senior staff in higher education institutions and agencies by the polling firm Prospectus …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 20 November]

“… No 2354B is from Professor Phillip Nolan, President, Maynooth University, dated 29 July 2019, responding to a request from the committee for details on an investment by the university in a subsidiary which will not be recovered, as well as information regarding employment contracts for employees in the organisation. Professor Nolan confirms the loss and states the investment was appropriate based on the information and advice available at the time …” (more)

[Public Accounts Committee, 3 October]

“Government plans to introduce greater accountability for the third-level sector, which receives about €1.5 billion in public funding, make sense on the face of it. The Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee has raked over dozens of high-profile examples of inappropriate spending by third-level institutions in recent years …” (more)

[Irish Times, 21 July]

“An ice-sculpture for a €13,000 retirement party. Painted portraits of senior staff commissioned at a cost of €20,000. VIP-style expenses for relocating a staff member including delivery of a fitted kitchen. This is just a selection of examples of mis-spending by some third-level institutions which have been subject to scathing criticism by the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 17 July]

“A long-awaited decision on the Munster Technological University (MTU) is expected to be made shortly as an independent report sparks uncertainty over the project. Following a formal application earlier this year, an international panel of experts assessed a bid by Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and the Institute of Technology Tralee (ITT) to become Munster’s first technological university …” (more)

[Jess Casey, Irish Examiner, 24 June]

“The Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has criticised the University of Limerick for what it has says is a ‘governance failure that could have cost the State €1.2 million’. The findings are contained in a document circulated among members of the PAC as they finalise their latest periodic report …” (more)

[Jennifer Bray, Irish Times, 27 June]

“University College Cork has told the Dail’s spending watchdog that it is ‘fully financially sustainable’ despite failing to file its 2018 financial accounts on time, it can be revealed. A number of the country’s leading universities, including UCC and Dublin City University, have had to defend the late filing of their annual accounts in correspondence sent to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) …” (more)

[Daniel McConnell, Irish Examiner, 20 June]

“Dublin City University suffered a ‘major, once off’ accounting issue last year which prevented it from filing its financial statements to the State’s spending watchdog on time. The issue arose from the consolidation of different parts of the college, DCU has told the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee …” (more)

[Jack Horgan-Jones, Irish Times, 20 June]

“All colleges and universities are to be questioned over their links to spin-off companies involving members of staff amid concerns over financial issues surrounding some firms. The Dáil’s public accounts committee has agreed to take the step after discussions between it, Cork Institute of Technology, the University of Limerick and Waterford Institute of Technology …” (more)

[BreakingNews.ie, 30 May]

“A few hours after the day’s business got under way at the Committee of Public Accounts (PAC) in Leinster House last week, there was a controlled explosion in Committee Room 3 …” (more)

[Alan English, Limerick Leader, 3 February]

“A number of issues were put to the University of Limerick president in private last week in relation to two UL whistleblowers, who raised issues about financial practices at the university more than three years ago. The two staff members, known as Persons B and C, have yet to return to work despite their suspension from the university being lifted in November 2017 …” (more)

[Jess Casey, Limerick Leader, 3 February]

“Fears that thousands of students at the University of Limerick possibly received ‘understated’ degrees may need to be independently examined, members of the Dáil Committee of Public Accounts (PAC) believe …” (more)

[Jess Casey, Limerick Leader, 2 February]

“The focus on creating a ‘university of international standing’ in this region remains high on the agenda of Waterford TD and Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee (PAC) member David Cullinane (SF). Speaking to The Munster Express in the wake of the PAC’s examining a special report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) into the sale of Feed Henry, a spin out company of TSSG, to Red Hat for €63.5m, Deputy Cullinane said his eyes remained fixed on the establishment of a Technological University …” (more)

[Dermot Keyes, Munster Express, 31 January]

“The president of the University of Limerick has been formally asked to write to the Garda Commissioner to ask if the findings of a report that was highly critical of the university should be investigated for fraud. Last Thursday, Dr Des Fitzgerald, appeared before the Dáil Committee of Public Accounts (PAC) over a number of long-running controversies related to the HR and finance departments at the university …” (more)

[Jess Casey, Limerick Leader, 28 January]

“Members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) have criticised the lack of authority that public bodies have over third level education institutions. Fianna Fáil TD Marc McSharry told the PAC that major deficits exist ‘in the overall oversight of education, in particular at third level’ …” (more)

[Finn Purdy, Trinity News, 25 January]

“Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail): We will now deal with item No 8 on today’s agenda, which is the Comptroller and Auditor General’s Special Report 104, which deals with Waterford Institute of Technology in respect of the development and disposal of intellectual property in FeedHenry. The Comptroller and Auditor General is joined by Shane Carton, deputy director of audit …” (more)

[Public Accounts Committee, 24 January]

“Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail): In this session we will examine the Comptroller and Auditor General’s special report No 103 on the handling of remuneration for certain senior staff in the University of Limerick and Institute of Technology Sligo. We have also requested an update on the implementation of Dr Thorn’s Independent Review of Certain Matters and Allegations Relating to the University of Limerick …” (more)

[Public Accounts Committee, 24 January]

“A full review of University of Limerick student records system could cost up to €20 million, TDs were told at the Committee of Public Accounts (PAC) this Thursday. The Limerick Leader revealed earlier today that concerns have been raised over whether potentially thousands of students were given incorrect exam records over many years …” (more)

[Jess Casey, Limerick Leader, 24 January]

“The University of Limerick (UL) says a subsidiary company will be responsible for the refund of costs arising from pension benefits worth a total of €1.2m for two of its staff, who were added to UL’s State-funded pension scheme even though they were not employed by the university …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 25 January]

“The president of University of Limerick (UL) has played down concerns that hundreds of students may have received incorrect exam results over a period of many years. The Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Thursday heard of serious concerns over the reliability of UL’s student records system …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 24 January]