UL chief officer launches defamation case against head of commercial operations and wife

The chief officer in University of Limerick has started a defamation case in the High Court against the university’s head of commercial operations and his wife.

The action was initiated in a personal capacity by Prof Shane Kilcommins against Andrew Flaherty and Audrey Flaherty.

Prof Kilcommins, who temporarily holds the post of UL chief officer, and Mr Flaherty, the chief commercial officer, each sit on the 14-member UL executive committee, which advises the university president.

The case was started days after UL placed Mr Flaherty on administrative leave as it grapples with the fallout from a botched student housing deal.

After months of crisis in the university that has already led to the resignation of outgoing UL president Prof Kerstin Mey, the turmoil is now set to enter the legal arena.

The university had no comment on the defamation case. It is understood, however, that UL is not party to Prof Kilcommins’s action.

UL has been mired in controversy since Prof Mey acknowledged in March that it overpaid €5.2 million for 20 student homes two years ago.

A report for UL by former civil servant Niamh O’Donoghue found the university lacked “correct and clear” information on the cost of the housing scheme before pressing ahead with a €11.9 million deal in which it paid significantly above market price.

The Comptroller & Auditor General is examining the transaction and the Higher Education Authority is working on a statutory review of UL governance.

In addition, UL has been dealing with anonymous allegations made in letters about the conduct of some of its affairs.

Prof Kilcommins is deputy president and provost of UL. He has been chief officer, with responsibility for the running of UL, since Prof Mey took sick leave in March. She resigned last month.

Mr Flaherty has responsibility for UL commercial activities and buildings and estates. His position is attached to the UL president’s office.

A legal filing shows Prof Kilcommins, represented by Limerick solicitors Sweeney McGann, issued plenary summons two days ago to start proceedings against Andrew Flaherty and Audrey Flaherty.

Prof Kilcommins did not reply to a phone call or emails to his office seeking comment. Neither was there any reply to calls and an email to his solicitors.

Mr Flaherty did not reply to an email and phone message seeking comment on the case. Efforts to contact Mrs Flaherty were not successful.