Maynooth University pays €47,000 to Revenue over President's accommodation
Kenneth Fox
Maynooth University has paid out €47,000 to the Revenue Commissioners in relation to a benefit-in-kind (BIK) liability arising from accommodation provided to its President, Eeva Leinonen, over four years.
In the 2025 annual report for Maynooth University, the payout attracts the attention of Comptroller and Auditor General, Seamus McCarthy, who reports that the university does not intend to recoup the €47,000 amount from the President.
Mr McCarthy explained that from 2021 to January 2025, the University provided accommodation to the President as part of her employment contract terms, and in respect of which she paid tax on a benefit-in-kind (BIK) basis.
Mr McCarthy stated that the annual report’s statement of governance discloses that, following a compliance review undertaken by the Revenue Commissioners, it was determined that the University had underestimated the benefit-in-kind tax liability over the period the President availed of the official accommodation by a total of €47,000.
The report states that the €47,000 payment "in respect of a liability for unpaid Benefit in Kind for the provision of accommodation for the President” was made to Revenue in February of this year.
The annual reports show that Prof Lenionen received a salary of €244,000 in 2025, and the President has paid BIK of €6,000 for accommodation provided by the University until January 2025.
A native of Finland, Prof Leinonen joined Maynooth University in 2021 after five years of service as Vice Chancellor and President at Murdoch University, Perth, Australia.
On the €47,000 payment to the Revenue Commissioners, a note states that the University “is awaiting confirmation from the Revenue Commissioners that this issue is now closed”.
The financial statements show that the university recorded a surplus of €11.16m in the 12 months to the end of September last.
This followed income increasing by 6pc from €270.2m to €286.34m.
In a report accompanying the accounts by Chief Financial Officer, Dr Tom Kenny states that the university “continues to have strong growth in student numbers, recording its highest ever intake of international students across all its faculties”.
Dr Kenny stated that the year 2024/25 saw the first year the Maynooth University student fee income broke the €100m million mark, totalling €108 million.
He said that “our income grew in line with projections and the University made savings on staff costs, due to difficulty in recruiting staff, and across several non-pay expenditure items against budget”.
Dr Kenny stated that staff costs are the highest cost of the University, accounting for 57 per cent of total expenditure amounting to €135.5 million, an increase of €13.8 million on 2023/24.
Dr Kenny said that this was primarily driven by the increase in staff numbers, up 91 Full Time Equivalent in the year, pay awards (implementation of the public sector pay deal), increments and promotions
Numbers earning over €100,000 at the university last year totalled 464 compared to 423 in that earning bracket in 2024.
