Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The delegates are all welcome. I thank Dr. Brendan McCormack, in particular, for dealing with the one issue brought up in the case of IT Sligo and using his opening statement to deal with it, rather than tell us how good the college is, which is not the issue before us. I welcome what he has done, in addition to coming with his hands up. I do not know whether I can continue to read the documentation we are receiving. I welcome all of the briefing papers and background material. In the period of just over two and a half years for which I have been a member of the committee I have found reading the Comptroller and Auditor General's report disturbing, particularly on the University of Limerick. I will come back to Professor Fitzgerald on the matter of whether he has read it and to hear his thoughts on the stark findings outlined. I have read all of the reports every single week and this one particularly drew my attention but I will leave the emotion aside. Reading about misrepresentation and non-disclosure in Limerick, as set out in the report, is truly disturbing. I will come back to that issue.

The report contains four chapters, in addition to the introduction. Chapter 2 refers to the added years. The University of Limerick distinguished itself by being more generous and rewarding more people with added years. It was one of two institutions, the other being in Dublin. I understand from the Department that this has now changed and the position is that all universities will have to report to it and receive permission. Is that now the position on added years in the receipt of pensions?