College chief’s €20,000 office furnishing bill

WATERFORD Institute of Technology (WIT) has spent more than €20,000 on furniture, fittings and security for the office of its president, located in a new building completed just three years ago.

Professor Kieran Byrne has been in hot water before over his lavish suite of offices, after it was revealed in 2009 that a staggering €157,050 was spent on an office and boardroom, including two individual “kitchenettes” which came in at €6,250 each.

Latest figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show that in 2010 the president’s office was kitted out with more than €14,000 worth of furniture and “security access control” worth almost €4,000.