College chief to retire early after no-confidence vote

Institute of Technology Tralee chairman, Flan Garvey, who had a plagiarism finding against him overturned on appeal, is to quit almost three years before his term ends.

His decision follows a recent vote of no-confidence by Teachers’ Union of Ireland members at the college and the launch of a review into postgraduate degree validations there after controversy over his 2008 thesis in ITT.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has asked the Higher Education Authority to review expenses at institutes of technology, after it emerged the former Fianna Fáil councillor and ex-mayor of Clare was paid an average €18,000 a year by the college from 2005 to 2011. Most other governors got less than €1,000 a year on average, but Mr Garvey said he was entitled to all expenses he received as he lives 160km from IT Tralee.