STUDENTS at a Dublin private college with an enrolment of over 500 have been sent home and staff have been told it is going into examinership.
The Advanced Technology College in Merrion Square runs a range of full time and part time courses in film, photography media studies, graphics, sound engineering, the Internet and computer programming. Students study for City and Guilds qualifications and internal college diplomas.
A lecturer in sound engineering, Mr Terry Irwin, said lecturers had been told yesterday afternoon by the owner, Mr John Thewlis, that he had applied for examinership in the High Court yesterday morning, and an examiner would be appointed next Monday. He told them it would take two to six weeks for the examiner to report on whether the college could be kept going as a viable concern.
Mr Thewlis was not available for comment yesterday afternoon. His brother, Mr Niall Thewlis, said there would be a statement today.
A media studies student said: "It was all very sudden. One of the girls from the office came in and told us at twenty to four that we would have to leave." A lecturer and he was "devastated" by the suddenness of the announcement and its potential impact on students.
Students said they had paid between £2,500 and £2,850 for full time one year courses in photography, film and sound engineering, and £5,500 for a full time two year film course. A part time two year sound engineering course cost £1,200 a year.
Evening students were told later not to come in last night because of a problem with the water mains - lecturers said the colleges had been in existence for about six years. It had moved to Merrion Square last October from nearby Hogan Place. It was well equipped with videoed time equipment, a sound engineering facility and a fully equipped radio studio. A college radio station was due to go on air for two weeks next month.
The lecturers said they were employed on a monthly basis without written contracts for the nine months of the academic year. They said there were between 15 and 20 lecturers taking 11 full time and 21 part time courses.
Mr Irwin said three senior members of staff who said they were interested in keeping the college going had earlier yesterday asked, lecturers if they would work this month and next without pay, on the understanding that they would be paid at the end of March.