Ninth Level Ireland

“The University of Limerick (UL) says it will begin ‘intermediate use’ of its new site by the Sarsfield Bridge by October. ​It comes after questions were raised over how it handled the €8m purchase of the former Dunnes Stores building two years ago – €5m more than an original €3m offer from council …” (more)

[Nick Rabbitts, Limerick Leader, 31 July]

“University of Limerick’s governing authority was told negotiations for its €8m acquisition of a building took account of values, advice and experience, despite the college not having any records of a site valuation. New documents raise further questions about the university’s handling of its purchase of a former Dunnes Stores unit in Limerick city centre two years ago …” (more)

[Wayne O’Connor, Independent, 18 July]

“A local councillor has called for the establishment of a code of conduct for students who live away from the University of Limerick (UL) campus. Green member Sean Hartigan has held meetings with residents of the Magazine Road in Cork, where a protocol was put in place, and, he says, has seen anti-social behaviour there decrease …” (more)

[Nick Rabbitts, Limerick Leader, 17 July]

“Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a university (details supplied) is requesting over €3,000 in up-front payments for on campus accommodation for the coming academic year despite the Government currently enacting legislation to prohibit same; and if he plans to intervene …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 15 July]

“Works have started on the new University of Limerick campus in the city centre. UL President, Professor Kerstin Mey, has announced that works began this morning at the former Dunnes Store building at Sarsfield Street …” (more)

[Limerick Leader, 12 July]

“The head of the oversight body for third-level institutions has said it was assured by the University of Limerick that an €8m purchase of a disused shopping centre in the city ‘was a good deal’ …” (more)

[Cianan Brennan, Irish Examiner, 1 July]

“Sinn Féin member of the Public Accounts Committee Imelda Munster TD, has issued a scathing rebuke of the testimony from representatives of the Higher Education Authority (HEA), who were before the Committee today …” (more)

[Sinn Féin, 1 July]

“The body with responsibility for governance at third-level institutions will tell the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that it aims to be ‘respectful of institutional autonomy’. The Higher Education Authority (HEA) is set to appear before the PAC this morning in what is set to be a seismic hearing with regard to specific examples of questionable governance among Ireland’s universities …” (more)

[Cianan Brennan, Irish Examiner, 1 July]

“Concern has been expressed over plans to construct a multi-storey student accommodation development in the city. Despite An Bord Pleanala rejecting plans for a similar development last year, Cloncarragh Developments has returned with a fresh application. It’s been fast-tracked to An Bord Pleanala, because of the fact more than 100 units are planned …” (more)

[Nick Rabbitts, Limerick Leader, 25 June]

“Professor Kerstin Mey (Interim President, University of Limerick) called and examined. Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein): Apologies have been received from Deputies Carthy, Hourigan and Sherlock. I welcome all of our witnesses to the meeting. Due to the current situation in respect of Covid-19, only the clerk, support staff and I are in the committee room. Members of the committee are attending remotely from within the precincts of Leinster House …” (more)

[Public Accounts Committee, 17 June]

“The President of the University of Limerick has accepted that ‘best practice’ wasn’t adhered to regarding the purchase of the former Dunnes Stores building in Limerick city centre. UL has asked consultants KPMG to investigate its purchase of the former store at Sarsfield Street for around €8m in 2019 …” (more)

[David Hurley, Limerick Leader, 17 June]

“The University of Limerick has asked consultants KPMG to investigate the purchase by the university of land in Limerick city centre known as the Dunnes Stores site, the Public Accounts Committee has been told …” (more)

[Emma O Kelly, RTÉ News, 17 June]

“The University of Limerick (UL) is conducting a review of its controversial €8m purchase of a site in Limerick city centre to examine what oversight was in place before the sale. It comes after the Sunday Independent revealed last month there are no records at the university of an independent valuation, raising concerns about due diligence …” (more)

[Wayne O’Connor, Independent, 13 June]

“Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that postgraduate business students at the University of Limerick will not receive a refund for the cost of the international study module which was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, including flights and accommodation covered by the fees of their course; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 26 May]

“Students at the University of Limerick are outraged over the college’s refusal to refund them ‘thousands of euro’ after an international trip was cancelled due to the pandemic. Dozens of students have been campaigning for months to get their money back after the trip – which is mandatory as part of their business degrees – was replaced with a five-day virtual workshop …” (more)

[Amy Molloy, Independent, 21 May]

“There are no records of the University of Limerick getting an independent valuation of the former Dunnes Stores site it spent €8m on in 2019, raising questions about oversight and governance of the purchase …” (more)

[Wayne O’Connor, Independent, 9 May]

“The cost of the rebranding of University of Limerick (UL) has now risen to more than €172,000 in the past two years. It comes as UL returned to the black with a surplus of €3.9m amid the Covid-19 closure of the campus, according to new consolidated accounts. The university spent a combined €86,670 on ‘brand refresh’ and ‘brand implementation’ programmes last year. That amount followed a spend of €85,453 on the brand refresh project in 2019 …” (more)

[Gordon Deegan, Irish Examiner, 3 May]

“The University of Limerick has ceased funding overtime for six gardai who had been conducting COVID-19 patrols and checkpoints in areas off-campus and frequented by UL students, which were introduced following a massive off-campus street party held in breach of public health guidelines, last March …” (more)

[David Raleigh, Limerick Post, 21 April]

“University of Limerick students are to be offered anti-racism training as part of their orientation, in response to a series of racist attacks on the campus. It comes after a series of reported racist attacks on international students, including one incident where a woman reportedly had her hijab forcibly removed …” (more)

[Erin Dyer, Limerick Voice, 21 April]

“University of Limerick has sanctioned a number of students who have been officially reported and investigated and found to have broken the institution’s code of conduct relating to the current Covid-19 restrictions …” (more)

[RTÉ News, 21 April]