27-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
University of Limerick official who led €5.2m overspend on houses resigns
Andrew Flaherty, UL's chief commercial officer (CCO), led UL's €12.65m purchase of 20 homes at Rhebogue which was criticised by the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) and the Dáil's public spending watchdog.
UL chancellor, Professor Brigid Laffan, wrote to university staff this evening informing them Mr Flaherty had tendered his resignation.
'The university has accepted that resignation,' Prof Laffan added.
'The CCO has also resigned from all directorships and offices associated with or connected to the university.'
Prof Laffan said Mr Flaherty's resignation was effective from today.
Mr Flaherty's future at the university was drawn into question last year after a Sunday Independent investigation raised concerns about the property deal.
The C&AG said UL overspent €5.2m on the homes.
The houses are the subject of a planning row between the university and Limerick city and county council because there is no permission to house students in the properties.
An Bord Pleanála is currently deliberating on the matter.
Mr Flaherty was placed on administrative leave last June.
That came two weeks after then-UL president, Kerstin Mey, resigned after students and staff said they had no confidence in her leadership over her role in the deal. She has since moved to a new professoriate role at the university.
UL has previously said it does not comment on personal and human resource matters.
Mr Flaherty has been approached for comment.
He was criticised last year by members of the Dáil's Public Accounts Committee over previously failing to attend a meeting with it to discuss other matters at the university. It later emerged he had been in Dublin, watching the meeting remotely while sending text messages to colleagues while they spoke with TDs.
Labour TD, Alan Kelly, said Mr Flaherty's absence from the meeting was 'like an episode of Hamlet without the prince'.
'The prince was across the road in some establishment texting people here the last time. The prince is not here this time,' he added.
