Vol. 406 No. 4
12 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure, in order to protect public funds, that prior to any purchase being agreed to, either by her Department or by any public body using funds provided by her Department, that a valuation is obtained from the Valuation Office; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
I can assure the Deputy and the House that in all cases where the purchase of property by my Department would arise the advice of the Valuation Office and any other appropriate professional advice would be obtained.
With regard to bodies operating under the aegis of my Department these bodies would be required to seek appropriate professional advice in any case where the purchase of property would arise. The most appropriate source of the professional advice, including valuation, would be a matter for determination by the competent authorities of the body concerned.
In relation to a recent purchase, the purchase of Carysfort College for £8 million by UCD, there was no independent valuation carried out to the knowledge of the Department by the college prior to this sale being agreed. I believe this is a very dangerous departure and calls into question the whole accountability in regard to Exchequer moneys. I am asking the Minister, in the light of her reply, if she can inform the House that the proper procedures were followed in relation to the Carysfort purchase.
The Deputy is raising a very specific matter.
The matter is specific and is not related to the question, but I would prefer to answer it. The Deputy is incorrect. I have said on television and in the newspapers, and I am glad to say it again in the House today, that the purchase price for that property was negotiated by UCD using professional expertise on their own campus and among their own body. What the Deputy said is quite incorrect. This purchase followed normal practice in any such acquisitions by university authorities.
The answer was specific and I want to address myself to that. The Minister has admitted that there was no independent valuation carried out either by her Department or by UCD in terms of this particular purchase. If that situation is allowed to continue it could lead to abuse of public funds. I put it to the Minister quite frankly that that is what happened on this occasion.
The Deputy is again incorrect and I will repeat it as many times as he cares to put down the question. The practice followed in the purchase of this property was exactly the same as that followed by many other bodies operating under my Department or any other Department where there would be within the people employed in that body a spectrum of professional advice which would enable them to make their own professional decisions. One cannot have the Department of Education interfering in every single matter when various agencies have autonomy to do their own business.
A Cheann Comhairle——
I am sorry, Deputy O'Shea, I have to make some progress with other questions. I am calling the next question.
The Deputy had only two minutes. That is ridiculous.
