University chiefs told to use resources wisely

University chiefs have been told by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn to make better use of scarce resources if he is to push the case for increased funding to the sector.

He told them he will also be changing the law to make them more accountable after governance failures in some universities.

Mr Quinn made his comments at a meeting with the council of the Irish Universities Association, attended by the seven university presidents and their governing body chairpersons. He said last week’s report from the Comptroller & Auditor General showed they face challenges in convincing the public their money is being used to best effect.

The report highlighted a number of issues, including unauthorised extra payments to senior staff at some universities totalling €8m in six years to 2011. It also revealed breaches of procedures in transactions by the office of former Waterford Institute of Technology president Kieran Byrne, and the promotion of 27 academic staff by Trinity College Dublin in breach of Government staffing restrictions.

“Public perception of the misuse of even relatively small amounts of public money at a time when everyone is suffering economic hardship causes collateral damage on an enormous scale to the reputation of the higher education system as a whole,” said Mr Quinn.

Meanwhile, more than 2,000 prospective college students have already applied for grants online — at www.studentfinance.ie— through the new Student Universal Support Ireland system.

The system is replacing the grant-handling function of 66 councils and VECs over the next four years. It is designed to end delays in processing and paying out of grants. All first-time applicants or students moving to a new course can apply directly at www.studentfinance.ie