Education minister to have power to probe colleges

Legal powers to investigate misuse of funding and governance failures in third-level colleges are to be introduced by Education Minister Richard Bruton.

His plans to remove the need for High Court approvals before appointing an investigator come after damning criticism of a number of colleges from the Dáil Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

The minister has powers, under the 1997 Universities Act, to appoint an investigator — known as a visitor — to examine governance, including management of public funds, and other issues at the seven universities.