DCU President overpaid due to administrative error

Dublin City University (DCU) President Professor Daire Keogh received an overpayment of €18,900 due to an administrative calculation error that occurred over a four-year period. The consolidated 2025 DCU annual financial statements confirmed the error, and the salary has since been adjusted for future payments. Professor Keogh, who has served as DCU President since July 2020, has entered into an immediate repayment plan to return the full amount by July 31 of this year.

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the salary was adjusted for future payments

The salary overpayment stemmed from an administrative calculation error linked to FEMPI restoration and a subsequent pay award application. The financial statements noted that the President's remuneration for the 12 months ending September last year was €243,933, excluding amounts from the DCU model public sector pension scheme. The report also highlighted that the university has written off €4.38 million, including VAT, incurred on professional fees for a proposed new student accommodation building that has since been abandoned.

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all amounts received will be repaid by the President by 31 July of this year.

This significant write-off attracted the attention of the Comptroller and Auditor General, Seamus McCarthy. Despite this expense, DCU's surplus for the past year saw a substantial increase of 92%, rising from €8.09 million to €15.5 million. This surge in surplus is attributed to a 15% increase in DCU's income, which grew from €297.7 million to €342 million for the 12 months ending September last year. Excluding a capital donation for a building project, income rose by 11%.

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due to an administrative calculation error linked to FEMPI restoration and subsequent pay award application

State grant funding increased from €68.2 million to €76.16 million, while academic fee income rose from €112.3 million to €123 million. Income from residences also saw a marginal increase from €12.54 million to €12.84 million. In his President's report, Professor Keogh stated that the year's surplus is designated to fund capital investments that offer long-term benefits to the Group. The note regarding the €4.38 million write-off indicates it was recognized from non-exchequer sources against expenditures incurred to date on the student accommodation project. The university is seeking a funding solution to make the project viable due to construction inflation.

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the remuneration, excluding amounts payable under the DCU model public sector pension scheme, of the University President in the 12 months to the end of September last was €243,933.