Board fume over €1.7m Department debt

Members of the Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board expressed outrage over an unpaid €1.7M debt, writes Seamus Enright.

Owed to the local education and training body for the past five years, dating the 2013-14 financial year, the money is part of a larger €40M debt owed by the Department of Education to the 16 ETBs nationwide.
The demand for repayment was raised at a meeting of the board last week at Loughan House, where one member described the situation as a “national disgrace”.
The matter was raised by Monaghan Councillor PJ O'Hanlon. “How can a business operate like this, I can't understand it. I can't get my head around it?” he fumed, before proposing the board write a letter “demanding” payment.
“It beggars belief” he said, adding: “It's not like we're talking about £100 here. It's €1.7m and at a time when we're looking for funding for schools at every conceivable opportunity."
Cllr O'Hanlon's proposal was seconded by fellow board member Michael Martin.
CEO John Kearney said that the Department did allocate some of its surplus budget last year to the 16 ETBs, which were continuing to work with the Department through their collective body to ensure the outstanding monies are paid.