UL head denies nepotism allegations

The president of the University of Limerick (UL) has denied allegations of nepotism following the appointment of his wife to a senior position.

On his first day in office, Professor Don Barry assigned his then partner, and now wife, Anna Doughan to a post in human resources policy and development.

Four months later, her position was made permanent as the university’s director of organisational development.

The appointment was made without her sitting an interview, or the consideration of any other candidates for the job.

However, the university’s governing authority and chancellor approved the move, saying it was “in line with normal UL policies”.

When contacted by the College View, UL Students’ Union declined to comment on the situation.

In addition, the university has come in for criticism following the building of a five bedroom house for Professor Barry and his wife overlooking the River Shannon.

The bill has not been finalised yet, but is estimated to be in the region of €3 million, with the property being built despite the university already owning a second president’s home in Co. Clare.

The USI president, Peter Mannion said: “This is money ill-spent and it is very hard to justify spending more than €1m on a university president’s home when there are massive cutbacks taking place in the third-level sector.”

According to UL, the cost of the property has been met entirely by private donations, and not taxpayers’ money.

The university currently has an accumulated deficit of €3 million.

The Minister for Education, Batt O’Keeffe, said he would be asking for a report to be put together on the construction of the home which he labelled as “lavish”.

UL Students’ Union president, Ruán Dillon McLoughlin, said in a press release that he was more concerned about the rise in the student service charge than the amount spent on the president’s house, stating that the public money spent on the report “would be far better spent and invested into education.”

The university’s SU has largely played down any controversy surrounding the construction.

ULSU communications officer Aoife Ni Raghallaigh described the media scrutiny over the building’s construction as an “overreaction”.