An independent report, commissioned by Minister for Education Mary Hanafin, has found no evidence to support allegations of financial impropriety at the Marino teacher training college in Dublin.
However, the report did identify shortcomings in financial management systems, including a lack of transparency at the Christian Brothers-run Marino Institute of Education (MIE).
This, it says, made it difficult to distinguish between the €5 million received in State funds for teacher training every year and funds generated by other activities at MIE.
The report, which has been sought by the INTO, was ordered by Ms Hanafin after a series of allegations about the possible misuse of State funds at Marino.
These surfaced after the sudden resignation of Caoimhe Máirtín as head of Coláiste Mhuire, the teacher training college at the MIE, in April. She received a High Court settlement of €500,000 from the Christian Brothers and resigned her post, after alleging bullying and harassment by management at Marino.
The PricewaterhouseCoopers inquiry ordered by the Minister focused exclusively on financial matters at MIE, and did not address the questions raised by Ms Máirtín's resignation.
Management at MIE said last night the report represented a "vindication of its consistent position that there has been no misuse of public monies".
Sr Bernadette MacMahon, chairwoman of the governing body of MIE, said the "report's findings regarding financial reporting procedures and requirements are constructive and should result in improved quality of information" between Marino and the department. MIE also said its own report into the Marino affair by consultants Farrell, Grant, Sparks should be concluded over the coming weeks.
Welcoming the publication of the report, the INTO said its executive would consider it later this month.
During the Marino affair, there was a welter of allegations about misuse of State funds at the 34-acre complex on Griffith Avenue, which also houses a conference and a research centre.
Essentially, it was claimed that State funds were diverted to help fund other activities at Marino, including the construction of new apartments for Christian Brothers. The inquiry has found no evidence to support any such allegation.
The result of the inquiry was widely expected. Ms Máirtín made no allegation of financial impropriety at Marino in discussions with department officials last year, which focused solely on her allegations of bullying and harassment. However, it is known that she was concerned about the lack of transparency in the financial management of the college.
The report found any surplus cash accumulated by Marino was either spent on equipment or included in the €4.3 million cash balance held by MIE last April.
