Former UL president Kerstin Mey seeks injunction preventing reinvestigation

Mey resigned as president in 2024 as part of a settlement agreement after she was threatened with disciplinary action over due diligence and adherence to policies during the university’s 2022 purchase of a 20-house development at Rhebogue

Prof Kerstin Mey is currently UL professor of visual culture. File picture: Sean Curtin

Former University of Limerick (UL) president Kerstin Mey is seeking a High Court injunction preventing the university from proceeding with any reinvestigation in connection with claims she misled the Dáil Public Accounts Committee (PAC) or a previous investigation officer.

Prof Mey, currently UL professor of visual culture, resigned as president in 2024 as part of a settlement agreement after she was threatened with disciplinary action over due diligence and adherence to policies during the university’s 2022 purchase of a 20-house development at Rhebogue, Co Limerick, for rent to 80 postgrad and research students.

The university paid some €12.4m for the development, which was valued for the Comptroller and Auditor General just a year later at €6.5m with an "in-use" value put at €7.4m.

Prof Mey, in an affidavit seeking the injunction, said this led to public controversy and a delegation from UL was invited to appear before the PAC on May 18, 2023.

She said an issue arose around why UL chief corporate officer (CCO) Andrew Flaherty was not in attendance before the PAC even though he stayed the night before in the same hotel as the delegation, had dinner with them paid for by the university, and he also allegedly claimed travelling expenses to Dublin. It later emerged he was also allegedly texting the delegation during the PAC meeting.

Prof Mey said Mr Flaherty was not listed as a member of the delegation because he had a longstanding prior commitment on May 18 and was on a day's leave then.

In August 2023, Caroline Jenkinson was appointed by a newly appointed special disclosures group at the university following a protected disclosure to the further and higher education minister.

Ms Jenkinson was to investigate the circumstances surrounding the appointment of Mr Flaherty as CCO and the reply given to the PAC about why he had not been in attendance at the May 18 meeting.

Ms Jenkinson found no wrongdoing on behalf of Prof Mey or her representatives in relation to Mr Flaherty's non-attendance.

Prof Mey was off on sick leave from March 2024 and due to return on June 6, 2024, but was put on special leave from then. In the meantime, another university delegation had met with the PAC.

UL's Audit and Risk Committee conducted a review in early 2024 of the €12.4m housing purchase and concluded that it could not be said due diligence was undertaken at all stages or that university policies and processes were adhered to during it.

Mediation followed between Prof Mey and the university which resulted in a settlement whereby she would resign from August 31, 2024, with a particular clause stating no disciplinary action would be brought against her. She was to move to a new €175,000-a-year post as professor of visual culture.

Prof Mey said media controversy over the housing deal continued and in May 2025, the special disclosures group told her a reinvestigation was to be carried out over an "apparent conflict of information" in what was said by the former president to the first investigation and to the PAC.

Solicitors' correspondence followed, with Prof Mey disputing the right of the university to reopen the investigation. The university stood firm in its stance.

She initiated legal proceedings last December seeking to prevent it from initiating any disciplinary proceedings in connection with the allegation she misled the PAC.

She said she is also to be subject to a proposed separate investigation providing an account for her actions and decisions in relation to revised payment arrangements for the housing deal.

She was invited to a meeting next Tuesday in relation to a reinvestigation.

On Friday, Marcus Dowling, for Prof Mey, was granted permission for short service of injunction proceedings restraining a reinvestigation. The application was ex parte, with only the Mey side present.

Mr Dowling said his client has told the defendant she will not be attending the meeting and would not be doing so.

Mr Justice Brian Cregan said the case could return on Tuesday.