Prof Kerstin Mey, the president of University of Limerick (UL), has commenced a period of sick leave as the institution’s governing authority prepares to meet to discuss a €5.2 million overpayment regarding 20 student homes. It is known that Prof Mey went on sick leave this week, following a letter issued by 10 out of the 13 executive committee members, urging her to reconsider her role.
Prof Mey, an expert in visual culture and art, took the position of interim UL president in 2020, making her the first woman to lead an Irish university. Her interim role was later made permanent for a tenure of 10 years in October 2021.
The formal meeting on Thursday afternoon will see the controlling board of UL, otherwise known as the governing authority, address the flawed housing project where UL spent well above €11 million for homes situated 3km from the university grounds. The reasons for the excessive payment are yet to be explained, although Prof Mey indicated to the university staff on the prior week that the properties at Rhebogue were purchased for a price significantly above the market rate. She expressed this as a large issue for UL in terms of governance, reputation and management.
Consequently, the Higher Education Authority (HEA), the national regulator of tertiary educational institutions, has requested UL to execute a separate investigation into the housing deal. UL has not yet provided a response with regard to Prof Mey’s sick leave or the intervention by the HEA.
Before commencing the governing authority’s scheduled meeting, Prof Brigid Laffan, the chancellor of UL, will relay a speech to the university faculty at noon on Thursday. Further damaging the situation, UL is predicted to have a €3 million deficit in its accounts for 2022-23 due to overspending on a former site of Dunnes Stores in Limerick intended for a new downtown campus five years ago.
On the previous week, Prof Mey contacted around 2,000 UL staff stating that there was a problem concerning the Rhebogue housing agreement, citing fresh independent appraisals on the homes.
In 2022, UL took possession of 20 houses from a private property developer. Since October 2023, these homes have accommodated 80 postgraduates.
Nonetheless, due to apprehensions relating to the agreement both within the governance and UL’s executive management, fresh property appraisals were undertaken as part of a contract revision.
“The university is expected to absorb the consequent draft depreciation, an amount approximately €5.2 million, into our financial report,” stated Professor Mey.