Troubleshooter paid €28,000 by GMIT

A facilitator tasked with improving communications and trust at Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) has been paid €28,000 over six months.

Troubleshooter Kieran Mulvey was appointed to the role of ‘independent facilitator’ at GMIT in an announcement made last August.

The former Labour Relations Commission chief was hired to implement the 30 recommendations of a report into the challenges faced by the Mayo campus.

The report was compiled by a working group which was convened in March 2017 by Education Minister Richard Bruton.

GMIT has confirmed to Galway City Tribune, following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, that the total amount paid to the facilitator was €28,128.52.

That was for invoices issued in January for the period July to December of last year.

“These covered the fee and VAT thereon and related travel and subsistence costs,” said Jim Fennell, Vice President for Finance and Corporate Services.

When a facilitator was appointed to the role, GMIT said: “Mr Mulvey’s role will be to oversee the transition to the future structure and operational model following full implementation of the report and to facilitate better communications and higher levels of trust between stakeholders.”

Last August, the troubled Mayo campus of GMIT was thrown a financial lifebuoy when Minister Bruton confirmed a €750,000 allocation to GMIT in Castlebar every year for five years amounting to €3.5 million. The stipend, he said, was to “assist the sustainability” of the campus, as GMIT implement the plan of a working group, which made 30 recommendations to develop and safeguard the future of the Mayo section of the Galway-headquartered college.

“The provision of this additional funding will be contingent on GMIT making progress on implementing the recommendations in this review, and will be subject to review by the Higher Education Authority,” Minister Bruton said.