THE UNIVERSITY OF Limerick has confirmed that it has invited the Department of Education to undertake an independent review of a number of areas of governance at the university.

The university says it did so last Tuesday at the instruction of the new president, Dr Des Fitzgerald.

In a statement, it said that Fitzgerald had asked for the review to “ensure the full confidence of the Department of Education” and other stakeholders.

The focus of the new president is to protect and develop the university’s academic reputation.

That reputation is important to the city of Limerick, to Mid-West region and to the thousands of students, staff and graduates of UL.

Former employees of the University of Limerick have made claims of ‘inappropriate expenses’ in the finance department.

In an appearance before the Public Accounts Committee at the end of March, now former UL president, Professor Don Barry, said that the university denied “there was any corruption going on in the university in the strongest possible terms”.

“Therefore,” a statement from the University said today, “Questions raised at the PAC last month and by the department itself need to be addressed and clarified so that the reputation of the University of Limerick and the region it serves can move forward with the full confidence of its many stakeholders.”

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