College head denies staff left due to bullying

CLAIMS that staff have resigned in protest at alleged bullying at the Marino Institute of Education (MIE) teacher training college in Dublin have been rejected by the interim director.

Pat Diggins also said plans for new management structures at the institute should be in place within weeks.

Following criticisms of the decision not to publish a report by independent consultants for the institute’s Christian Brothers trustees last week, Mr Diggins said there would be serious legal implications if the details were released. The report was commissioned last May following allegations of bullying and financial irregularities, all of which were rejected according to a statement from the trustees.

But the Farrell Grant Sparks report found that the institute’s governing body and its key committees largely acted in accordance with the lawful instrument of government at MIE. Mr Diggins said he assumed that, in using the word ‘largely’, the consultants were referring to the following of procedures.

He also rejected reports that a number of staff of Coláiste Mhuire, the teacher training college at Marino, had resigned in protest at bullying: “There is no doubt the disruption of the last year has caused people great stress but any departures from Coláiste Mhuire have, for the most part, been in relation to career moves.”