Marino report questions financial procedures

THE consultants who cleared the Marino Institute of Education (MIE) of bullying and financial irregularities raised serious questions about financial procedures in their report to the Christian Brothers trustees.

Farrell Grant Sparks also criticised the Department of Education's intervention in the dispute, claiming it compounded rather than alleviated the situation at the institute's teacher training college, Coláiste Mhuire Marino (CMM). Matters came to a head last May when CMM president Caoimhe Máirtín received a six-figure settlement of her claim against MIE for bullying and harassment.

A department spokesperson last night said intervention was needed because of the nature of the financial impropriety allegations, the level of public funding given to MIE and the need to assure students of high-quality teacher education.