Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 435: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on the PricewaterhouseCoopers report on a college (details supplied) in Dublin 3 which recommended that separate accounts should be maintained for the college; if this has actually happened since the report was published; the position regarding the financial situation at this college; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36426/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that, following allegations of financial impropriety at the institution referred to by him, I asked the accountancy firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers, PwC, to examine the use of moneys paid by my Department to the institution in question. The main findings of the review, which I published in early August, revealed that there has been no misuse of the public moneys paid by my Department to the institution in question.

The report recommends, among other things, that a separate bank account be maintained in respect of the college in question. In that context, officials in my Department have met the management authorities at the institution in question, regarding the implementation of this and other recommendations in the PwC report. My Department is satisfied that the trustees and governing body of the institute in question are fully co-operating with the implementation of the report's recommendations.

In relation to the financial position at the college in question, I have previously set out my views on this issue. Although my Department did not have any concerns regarding the use of funding provided for the purpose of training teachers, it was, nevertheless, important in view of the level of public and media interest in this matter, to demonstrate clearly that public funding was properly applied for teacher training. I am happy that the findings of the examination confirm this position.