College paid up to €140,000 to staff members’ firms

A CORK college paid up to €140,000 to two companies owned by two of its IT staff for services and equipment without always seeking competitive quotes.

Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa (CSN) has also been forced to cut its staff from this year after it was found to have overstated enrolment numbers. The inflated numbers resulted in more teachers than it should have being sanctioned by the Department of Education, as well as grants being over-allocated between 2004 and 2009. The total cost of the extra staff and surplus grants was estimated at over €800,000.

The breaches of procurement rules and the overstated enrolments were reported to gardaí by the City of Cork Vocational Education Committee (CCVEC), which runs the school. However, gardaí said there was no crime involved.