The Chairman of IT Tralee Flan Garvey is to step down as chairman of the 3rd level institution – despite his earlier insistence that he would see out his full term to 2016.
It comes just weeks after the former mayor of Clare was cleared of any wrongdoing when the Institute of Technology found parts of his study of the history of his native parish of Inagh/Kilnamona were copied from another writer but not intentionally.
Speaking on Clare FM’s Morning Focus exactly two weeks ago – Flan Garvey insisted that he would be returning to the role as Chairman of IT Tralee, confident in the knowledge he had been fully vindicated of any wrongdoing over his thesis at the Kerry college.
Late last year he temporarily stepped down from the role to allow for an investigation into an allegation of plagiarism against him by 26 members of staff at IT Tralee, who claimed his dissertation on the history of the parish of Inagh/ Kilnamona contained large sections of text identical to earlier publications.
The Inagh native received his Masters of Arts degree from ITT five years ago – the former-Fianna Fáil councillor has been the institute’s chairman since 2001.
He was subsequently cleared of obtaining the degree in an "unjustified manner"- but instead the that he committed ‘an unintentional and non-fraudulent infraction.
Speaking on Clare Fm’s Morning Focus Flan Garvey told John Cooke he was delighted his good name had been vindicated and had informed the college of his intention to resume in his role of chairman
The following day the governing body of the college confirmed it’s received notice of Flan Garvey’s intention to resume his position as chairman and while it would be meeting that Friday Mr Garvey would not be present.
In a statement today – Tralee IT stated that Flan Garvey informed a Governing Body meeting of May 27th- yesterday- of his decision to retire as Chairman of the Institute as of July 31st 2013.
It added that the Governing Body accepted his decision and acknowledged the significant contribution Mr Garvey made to the Institute during his term as Chairman since 2001.
The institute is making no further comment on the matter while speaking to Clare FM the Former Mayor of Clare said he was happy with the statement issued by the college regarding his retirement and made no further comment on the matter.
