TU Dublin paid its president almost €230k amid deficit of €8.4m

Former Technological University Dublin president David FitzPatrick stepped down last May amid controversy over the institution's funding deficit. File picture: TU Dublin

Technological University Dublin paid its president a salary and benefits of almost €230,000 during the same year it recorded a deficit of more than €8.4m.

The second largest third-level institution in the country remains in contact with the Higher Education Authority over a range of financial issues at the college.

David FitzPatrick resigned from his position as the president of TU Dublin last May, with Deirdre Lillis, a senior civil servant at the Department of Further and Higher Education, taking up the role of president in mid-January.

It emerged during 2023 that TU Dublin faced a major funding deficit after a drop in student enrolments.

This reduction in student numbers had not been taken into account by the university when preparing its financial projections for the year.

Recently filed financial statements for TU Dublin, formerly known as Dublin Institute of Technology, show a total comprehensive loss for the year ending in August 2023 of €8.402m.

The annual accounts show that Professor FitzPatrick’s salary and benefits for the same financial year totalled €228,187 including pay award arrears of €3,047 relating to both 2022 and 2023.

This compared to a package of €203,619 during 2022.

The total renumeration for key management personnel totalled €2,420,846 including pay award arrears totalling more than €31,000 for both 2022 and 2023.

Travel and subsistence reimbursements made during the same period include €39,618 to the president and almost €137,000 to university executive team members.

Major review initiated last year

A major review was initiated last February at TU Dublin after the Higher Education Authority (HEA) raised concerns over the “deteriorating financial position” of the country’s second-largest university.

“The delays in monitoring student numbers and the associated impact on tuition fee income led to concerns from the HEA regarding the reliability and timeliness of financial reporting, and forecasting,” its financial statement notes.

The loss of €8.402m followed a deficit recorded in the period prior of €3.8m, according to Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) Seamus McCarthy, who audited the financial statements.

The C&AG noted that in July 2023, the university informed the HEA of the projected deficit position for 2022/23: 

The delays in identifying a reduction in student numbers in the year, and the associated impact on tuition fee income, led to concerns regarding the reliability and timeliness of the university’s financial reporting and forecasting. 

Separately, the accounts also show that the university spent €794,000 on the purchase of goods and services with nine contractors which was non-compliant with national guidelines on procurement.

A spokeswoman for the HEA said it has been actively engaged with TU Dublin regarding its financial position.

“A financial recovery plan has been developed, and the university is putting steps in place to finalise its implementation.”

A spokeswoman for TU Dublin said finalised financial statements for the year 2022/23 were approved by its governing Body, certified by the Comptroller & Auditor General, and submitted to the HEA.

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“The University developed a Financial Recovery Plan last year which will restore TU Dublin’s finances to a sustainable footing. The plan was submitted to the HEA over the summer and, following initial feedback, a detailed implementation action plan was developed.”

Implementation of the main actions are underway, she added.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Further and Higher Education said the pay of all staff at TU Dublin, including that of the president and senior executive team, is subject to sanction and is in alignment with public sector pay policy.