WIT board orders probe into €21k spent on president’s office

AN urgent review has been ordered by the board of Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) into how almost €21,000 was spent on its president Dr Kieran Byrne’s office last year.

The governing body has asked accountancy firm Deloitte to review spending recently revealed through freedom of information (FOI) requests.

Although the college would not answer questions on the precise spending to be probed, it is believed to relate to the recent revelation in the Irish Examiner that €20,828 was spent in 2010 on Dr Byrne’s offices in a building which opened in 2008.

The bill included furniture worth €14,326.40 and security access control worth almost €4,000.

Another €1,756.92 was spent on the painting of offices, according to details released under FOI law.

In a statement, WIT governing body chairman Donal Ormonde said it has sought an independent review of spending which has come to light through FOI requests. He said Deloitte has been asked to carry it out as a matter of immediate urgency and the review will be considered by the governing body once it becomes available.

“The governing body will decide on foot of the review if spending procedures at the institute require new definition, scope or reporting arrangements.

“If new policies are required, these will be put in place immediately,” Mr Ormonde said.

“It is my intention that the institute expenditures will be appropriate and in line with best practice to ensure value for money and safeguarding the use of public funds.”

The president’s office is in a tourism and leisure education building opened three years ago.

Last year’s bill for the office also featured €540 on fixtures and fittings and €272.40 on signage, including treatment of windows.

The FOI data also showed €4,864 was spent in 2009 on fixtures and fittings, including additions and adjustments to those already in place.

Before the recent revelations, it was reported in 2009 that within the €21 million tourism and leisure building, the president’s office cost almost €50,000 to fit out.

The bill included a €7,500 bathroom, flooring and tiling worth almost €8,500, €11,600 of panelling, a €2,000 fireplace and €500 plasma screen. A further €11,350 was spent on loose furniture, €6,000 on fitted furniture and €6,250 on a kitchenette, one of two in the president’s office complex.

The WIT boardroom located in the same building cost €86,750, including a €10,000 audio-visual system, another kitchenette, and €24,000 on fitted furniture, fittings and curtains.