The new chair of the Board of Management at St Nathy’s College in Ballaghadereen, Co Roscommon has described revelations of financial irregularities at the school as ‘indefensible’.
Reacting to last night’s RTÉ Investigates – Cooking the Books – current chair Kevin Hennigan, who was appointed last month, said the findings, made ‘a grim story’.
Speaking on the Joe Finnegan Show on Shannonside Radio, Mr Hennigan said "what went on was completely indefensible, and it is a matter of great regret to us in the College, especially when it had to do with educational disadvantage at a time of austerity in the country. It is a matter of great regret and nobody can defend that".
Mr Hennigan was responding to revelations that over a 6 year period the then principal of St Nathy’s College, Fr Martin Convey repeatedly submitted claim forms under the School Meals Scheme based on inflated pupil numbers – overclaiming an estimated total on the food grant to the tune of €646,000. A final repayment plan was agreed with the Department of Social Protection for €294,000.
It was also revealed Fr Convey had made further false claims on the Department of Education’s Online Claims System to secure funding the school was not entitled to – including extra payments for retired teachers. In all, these claims, including 144 hours claimed in the name of an individual who never taught at St Nathy’s, totalled in excess of €47,000.
The hours had not been used for the purpose intended in that they should have been used to help special needs students.
Mr Hennigan confirmed the school is due to make its final repayment in January 2019.
"At that stage we will be clear of that debt thankfully because it has put a huge strain on the College’s finances. It has meant very careful financial management to make ends meet in the College in that period, because when you’re short that amount of money every year, it makes life difficult for the management of the school to keep things right but management have done that and they’ve done their very best to ensure it hasn’t impacted too much on students or the College itself."
Circulars sent to schools make it clear that funding received under the School Meals Scheme is to be spent on food alone. However, Fr Convey said he misinterpreted the scheme’s rules and had spent the money for other purposes, including at one point hedge cutting services.
"It was spent in the school and of course it should not have been spent on those things at all, that money should have been used for children who were disadvantaged and for the meals scheme and that alone and nothing else and it was wrong that it was used for anything other than that," Mr Hennigan said.
Asked to comment on the fact the DPP decided not to prosecute Fr Convey based on ‘insufficient evidence’ in the garda file, Mr Hennigan said "that was a matter for the Gardaí and the DPP", adding strict financial controls are now in place at St Nathy’s College.
