Trinity College Dublin is reported to have paid €1.38 million to academics without permission from the HEA. In addition, The University Times reported in its last issue that a College Board meeting confirmed that paid promotions were to go through. The Board were confident that there was limited amount of flexibility for a number of promotions since the university had delivered significant savings under the terms of the employment control framework. According to the Board it was not in the interest of the college to be constrained by the Employment Control Framework issued by the government in 2008.
However, the Board recognized that there were financial and compliance risks involved with the initiating a promotion process. The proposal was to undergo a rigorous review by the Senior Promotions Committee, the Human Resources Committee and the Planning Group. Also, the Department of Education and Skills had yet to respond to the request of the proposal.
Secretary-general at the Department of Education Brigid McManus wrote to the the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee (PAC) outlining “issues in relation to the [UCD] president’s own remuneration arrangements, including pension, remain outstanding”. Furthermore, “the department is addressing this matter with the governing authority”.
Following the report, the HEA has proposed that the Minister for Education, Ruairí Quinn, take the necessary steps to “re-allocate or attach conditions on the use of an appropriate level of funding in each university”. Under this proposal, universities would have to repay the unsanctioned allowances by re-directing an equal amount towards student services.
Speaking to The Sunday Business Post, President of University College Dublin (UCD), Hugh Brady, felt that the payment of the allowances was a vital move to secure “academic leaders” in senior positions at the college. A move to penalise the system would be “inappropriate, counter-productive and of dubious legality”, said Brady.
University College Cork and NUI Galway paid €1.5 million and €578,000 respectively, according to the McManus. NUI Maynooth paid a sum of €272,000 and subsequently it has emerged that DCU have been paying out €3,800 per year to academics who held associate dean positions.
The sum of unsanctioned allowances is estimated to be in the region of €7.8 million, although this could rise as new revelations have emerged. The Comptroller and Auditor General, John Buckley, has been required to validate the exact figures before seeking the approval from Ruairí Quinn to approve a repayment sanction. However, no direct moves will be made to recover any revenue from academics who received increased pay.
