I propose to take Questions Nos. 1841 and 1842 together.
In October 2019, the President of TU Dublin wrote to the Higher Education Authority advising that TU Dublin had instigated an open recruitment process for elements of their required senior management team and that suitable candidates for the posts of Chief Operating Officer and Registrar and Deputy President had been identified.
On receipt of the information from the Higher Education Authority, also in October 2019, my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery & Reform, examined the submitted business cases. It was determined that the posts were an essential part of the overall development of the TU Dublin management structure.
As such, and in accordance with the terms of the Technological Universities Act, Ministerial approval and consents were obtained for the appointments in October 2022. Sanction for the posts was confirmed to TU Dublin that same month. Although my Department accepts that TU Dublin were premature in advertising the posts, it is important to stress that all the necessary approvals and consents required under the Act were obtained prior to the confirmation of the appointments and at no point was there any breach of public sector pay policy.
