High-flying UCC boss insists travel cut
Responding to reports that his travel, accommodation and subsistence bills totalled €75,000 in 2008 and 2009, he said any trips he takes are vital to securing the college’s financial future.
According to figures released under the Freedom of Information Act, Dr Murphy travelled business class on seven flights to the US, Asia and South Africa during the two-year period.
He defended the use of business class on long-haul flights as, he said, his itinerary often means he has to work while travelling.
“In the last six to eight months, UCC has restricted the use of any business class by any staff to flights of eight hours or longer and where budgets allow. And since September 2008, I have not travelled first class on the train to Dublin,” he said.
The UCC president was reported to have cost the college €1,000 in first class rail travel to and from Dublin in the two years concerned.
He told the Irish Examiner he must go to Dublin regularly to meet fellow presidents, cabinet ministers and senior civil servants.
While acknowledging the need for overseas travel by senior third-level heads, Irish Federation of University Teachers general secretary Mike Jennings said it was only right that business class flights be restricted.
“All universities should be operating to the public service guidelines and any travel should be kept to essential trips only. Excessive spending on things like foreign travel, on legal fees and affiliation to employers’ groups only reinforce Education Minister Batt O’Keefe’s mistaken view that colleges don’t need more money,” he said.
Dr Murphy said he stayed mostly at business hotels, rather than luxury hotels, and his hotel bills failed to take into account the hiring of function rooms and catering for events.
“Part of my role as president is to represent UCC abroad and to promote international education here, given that overseas students were worth €19 million to us and €35m to the local economy last year,” he said.
“The university is also becoming more reliant on philanthropic donations, worth €5m to €7m a year, and fundraising from UCC graduates.”
Despite the budget cuts, he said UCC operated at a surplus last year and its deficit which was €13m will be down to €4m by the end of 2010 and should be eliminated next year.
