Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority, HEA, for direct disbursement to the HEA-designated higher education institutions, including the universities. The HEA allocates this funding to the institutions. The internal disbursement of that funding is then a matter for the individual institution. Universities are autonomous bodies as set out in the Universities Act 1997 and are responsible for their own day-to-day affairs, including the allocation of all of its income, both public and private, and with regard to their own financial affairs.

Officials of my Department have sought details regarding the issue referred to by the Deputy. Based on information provided by NUIG, I can confirm the figure of €17.48 million related to funding due from the foundation to the university at 30 September 2014 regarding capital projects in 2011. This represents philanthropic donations as contributions to the development of the engineering building and extensions to the arts-science building at NUIG. To date, €15.56 million of this has been repaid to NUIG by the foundation. The current balance outstanding is €1.92 million, which is scheduled for payment on 31 December 2017.

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