Audit finds VEC made inappropriate payments

A Co Cork educational centre for early school leavers made inappropriate payments to staff and students, an audit by the State’s spending watchdog found.

The Comptroller and Auditor General’s report on the management of Macroom Youthreach draws heavily on the findings of an internal VEC audit, which were previously revealed by the Irish Examiner.

Between 2007 and 2012, payments totalling €114,000 were made to eight students who were subsequently deemed by the VEC to be ineligible for the payments.