Education cuts deepen as expenses gravy train rolls on

Sinn Féin’s Education Spokesperson Seán Crowe TD has called on Minister,
Ruairí  Quinn, TD, to explain what measures his Department intends to
introduce to prevent the abuse of expenses at Third Level Institutions.

Crowe referred to the issue at the yearly Estimates Meeting, when he
asked the Minister if he agreed that the sum 100,000 euros spent on taxi
fares by the Head of Waterford Institute of Technology and who claimed
it offered “Value for money.”

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“At this week’s meeting of the Dáil’s Education Committee I asked
Minister Quinn how he intends to prevent the type of unjustifiable waste
of money that is emerging in the media about Waterford Institute of
Technology (WTI).

“Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act revealed
details of expenses incurred by the WIT President’s office over a seven
year period. These included more than €100,000 on taxi fares – mostly
between Dublin and Waterford – and €290,000 on hospitality.

“Added to these excesses was the sum of €134,000 which was spent two
years ago on the purchase of fine art along with €23,000 on the
revamping of an office and boardroom.

“This revamping money was spent on offices that were located in a new,
state of the art, €24 million tourism and leisure building on the
campus.

“There can be no justification for such a vast waste of money and the
inquiry by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) into this expenses
‘Gravy Train’ must be thoroughly investigated.

“For too long an elite within Irish society have used and abused an
expenses gravy train.  Ordinary hard pressed tax payers are forced to
pick up their tab.

“If Prof Byrne is right to justify spending over €100,000 on taxis by
claiming it represented “good value for money” then there is something
very badly wrong with the current expenses system and governance that
allows it.

“The amount spent by WIT must be contrasted with the cuts that are
impacting on key services right across the education sector. People will
be understandably angry that at a time when Special Needs Assistants,
Language support teachers, supports for traveller children, hikes in
school transport costs, increased fees and cuts in student grants, some
well paid academics would appear to enjoy incredible perks and
privileges.

“I have no doubt that what has been recently exposed in Waterford
Institute of Technology is only the tip of the iceberg.  The Minister
needs to introduce measures that ensure the expenses gravy train is
derailed and brought to an end.”