Results 2,861-2,880 of 4,350 for speaker:Bobby Aylward
- Public Accounts Committee: University of Limerick: Financial Statements 2014-2015 (30 Mar 2017)
Bobby Aylward: My understanding is that the first complaint from Person A was in 2009. In 2010, Person A went on sick leave and retired from the university in 2012. She was on sick leave for two years before she retired.
- Public Accounts Committee: University of Limerick: Financial Statements 2014-2015 (30 Mar 2017)
Bobby Aylward: On the complaints made to the university, there were seven specific allegations. That was in May 2011 while she was on sick leave.
- Public Accounts Committee: University of Limerick: Financial Statements 2014-2015 (30 Mar 2017)
Bobby Aylward: I read in Mazars report that some of those specific allegations included allegations of irregular practices and misconduct in a higher education institution, irregular payments and victimisation and bullying. These are serious things. These were mentioned in the Dáil in reply to a parliamentary question that had been tabled by Deputy English.
- Public Accounts Committee: University of Limerick: Financial Statements 2014-2015 (30 Mar 2017)
Bobby Aylward: Did UL take them seriously at that stage?
- Public Accounts Committee: University of Limerick: Financial Statements 2014-2015 (30 Mar 2017)
Bobby Aylward: I want to move on. There was an allegation of a culture of inappropriate expenses claims. Person A outlined her work environment in which it was alleged that it was difficult to sign off on individual expenses claims and there was a lack of clarity on whether certain items being claimed were allowable. Those are also serious allegations.
- Public Accounts Committee: University of Limerick: Financial Statements 2014-2015 (30 Mar 2017)
Bobby Aylward: With regard to proper governance and procedures and oversight, how was it allowed to happen that this would come to head in 2011 following allegations by a staff member? Why was that system allowed to be in place in such a large university?
- Public Accounts Committee: University of Limerick: Financial Statements 2014-2015 (30 Mar 2017)
Bobby Aylward: I will go through the claims individually. I refer to expenses claimed by an employee while on sabbatical. How can a person claim expenses while on sabbatical? A person cannot claim expenses when he or she is on leave in his or house or wherever and not working.
- Public Accounts Committee: University of Limerick: Financial Statements 2014-2015 (30 Mar 2017)
Bobby Aylward: When the person went to Australia, was the person still representing UL? The person was not on sabbatical then. My understanding of a sabbatical is when a person takes time off and do another job. A staff member is still not employed by the university when on sabbatical.
- Public Accounts Committee: University of Limerick: Financial Statements 2014-2015 (30 Mar 2017)
Bobby Aylward: Why say the person is on sabbatical? Why not say the person was visiting Australia on behalf of the university? There are two question marks here.
- Public Accounts Committee: University of Limerick: Financial Statements 2014-2015 (30 Mar 2017)
Bobby Aylward: I am not asking whether these people are sunning themselves on holidays. My understanding is when people take a sabbatical they are no longer employed by that company but they can return to their job. They are taking a break but they are not representing the business then. Professor Barry said this person went to Australia. Why would the person get expenses when taking a sabbatical? The...
- Public Accounts Committee: University of Limerick: Financial Statements 2014-2015 (30 Mar 2017)
Bobby Aylward: And fully entitled to claim expenses?
- Public Accounts Committee: University of Limerick: Financial Statements 2014-2015 (30 Mar 2017)
Bobby Aylward: Why did Person A complain that she did not think this was right?
- Public Accounts Committee: University of Limerick: Financial Statements 2014-2015 (30 Mar 2017)
Bobby Aylward: Following Mazars report, did UL change its sabbatical policy or is it still the same?
- Public Accounts Committee: University of Limerick: Financial Statements 2014-2015 (30 Mar 2017)
Bobby Aylward: Can a person still go on sabbatical and claim expenses from UL? If a person applied in the morning to go anywhere for whatever reason, can he or she still claim expenses?
- Public Accounts Committee: University of Limerick: Financial Statements 2014-2015 (30 Mar 2017)
Bobby Aylward: My understanding of a sabbatical is completely different.
- Public Accounts Committee: University of Limerick: Financial Statements 2014-2015 (30 Mar 2017)
Bobby Aylward: I might be a bit slow but------
- Public Accounts Committee: University of Limerick: Financial Statements 2014-2015 (30 Mar 2017)
Bobby Aylward: Will the HEA officials comment on whether that is the norm in universities and institutes of technology?
- Public Accounts Committee: University of Limerick: Financial Statements 2014-2015 (30 Mar 2017)
Bobby Aylward: Is it normal practice?
- Public Accounts Committee: University of Limerick: Financial Statements 2014-2015 (30 Mar 2017)
Bobby Aylward: I have a different issue to raise. Purchasing equipment through expenses does not sound right. Why not do the norm - purchase the equipment, get an invoice, put it in and get paid? Why pay it back through expenses? That also sounds unorthodox.
- Public Accounts Committee: University of Limerick: Financial Statements 2014-2015 (30 Mar 2017)
Bobby Aylward: Why pay it back under expenses? Why not get paid through an invoice?