Athlone Institute of Technology spent nearly €130,000 on a fundraising office which raised no money whatsoever.
Yesterday senior staff at the college admitted to the Dáil Public Accounts Committee that the institute was out of its depth on its fundraising efforts, which set an ambitious target of €28.9 million. The expenditure emerged following an examination of the institute's accounts by the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr John Purcell.
Mr Purcell's report said the institute set up a foundation in 1999 to raise funds for the college.
A teacher was appointed as promotions officer on secondment from the Department of Education, and a total of €132,837 was spent on the office, including €12,574 on travel, and €67,372 on salary costs. However, no money was raised.
Yesterday the institute's director, Prof Ciarán Ó Catháin, told the PAC that when he was appointed director in 2000, he tried to set up a system to monitor and evaluate the promotion officer's role. The officer then left his post in January 2001, and has not been replaced, said Prof Ó Catháin, who has since taken over fundraising responsibilities.
PAC chairman Mr John Perry of Fine Gael said it was "quite extraordinary" that they appointed a teacher with no professional business or fundraising experience to the position.
Mr Paul Connaughton of Fine Gael also told Prof Ó Catháin: "You were out of your depth, You were fishing in a pond where you had no chance of catching any fish at all."