Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

Efforts to regularise remuneration matters in the university sector have been ongoing for some years. Indeed this issue was in the public domain prior to my appointment and has been the subject of references in the reports of the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector and in questions previously raised in this House. More recently the issue of bonus payments in UCD came to light in the context of the Comptroller and Auditor General's Special Report on Resource Management and Performance in Irish Universities.

I welcome the opportunity to put on record my disappointment and disapproval of the unacceptable practice which existed in some universities of making additional payments to staff in the absence of the requisite sanction.

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