Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

No. 743 provides the balance of the information requested by the committee arising from our meeting with UL on 17 June. It provides responses to matters such as the governance of the University of Limerick Foundation, expenditure related to the president's residence, entertaining services and protected disclosures and information regarding the purchase by UL of the former Dunnes Stores site for €8.343 million. It also states that UL paid €9,500, excluding VAT, for the valuation services through a company not registered with the Property Services Regulatory Authority. UL states that related correspondence requested by the committee forms a significant part of the KPMG review of the purchase and, once the report is completed, it will be forwarded to the committee, subject to resolving any legal issues regarding release of personal or other sensitive information.

In relation to our question on whether UL's chancellor, Mary Harney, is still serving on KPMG's public interest committee, UL confirmed that she is but states that all interests were declared in accordance with UL processes and the Ethics in Public Office Act and that the chancellor was not involved in the engagement of KPMG to undertake the review of the purchase of the former Dunnes Stores site.

The breakdown of 2018-2019 entertainment expenditure of more than €1 million that we requested includes €22,000 on events relating to an honorary doctorate for the University of Limerick Foundation chair, which was held in New York, including costs arising from UL benefactors and guests attending the Irish Chamber Orchestra at Carnegie Hall and a pre-concert reception.

I propose that we confirm the committee's request for a copy of the KPMG review, request a breakdown of expenditure relating to the events in New York and note and publish the item of correspondence. Is that agreed? Agreed. Deputy Carthy wishes to comment on this correspondence from UL.