The trustees of Marino teacher-training college in Dublin specifically requested consultants not to interview former college president Caoimhe Máirtin.
The trustees of the Christian Brothers-run college commissioned Farrell Grant Sparks to investigate allegations of bullying and misappropriation of State funds.
The report, published this week, cleared the college of all allegations, but has been criticised for not interviewing Ms Máirtin, who received an out-of-court settlement of €500,000 last year after taking a bullying case against the college.
Farrell Grant Sparks said it was requested by its client - the trustees of the Marino Institute of Education - not to involve Ms Máirtín in the review. This was based on legal advice received by the trustees. It is understood the consultants accepted this legal advice, and did not seek an independent legal opinion.
The disclosure will raise further concerns about the independence of the report, which has been questioned by the INTO and criticised as a "whitewash" by some college staff.
Last night, Farrell Grant Sparks broke its silence and moved to defend its reputation.
The consultants said Ms Máirtín was also not interviewed because the focus of the inquiry was the continuing dispute with some staff and not the Máirtin issue, which had been resolved in an out-of-court settlement.
It also said there was a view the report should not be use to allow Ms Máirtín get "a secondary means of addressing alleged grievances which she had decided not to pursue through the courts".
The consultants said its main task was to establish the facts of serious allegations of misappropriation of public funds, systemic bullying and mismanagement of affairs relating to primary teacher training. It was not asked to undertake a mediation or facilitation exercise in relation to these matters, nor to broker a solution. Contrary to reports, it did not pin all the blame on other parties for the college's problems.
The report, it said, pointed to mistakes made by all parties, including the trustees, the governing body, Marino management, the Department of Education, the INTO and the media. It was not attributing blame to these parties, nor did the report say so.The consultants noted that the proposal to bring in a facilitator to resolve the dispute at Marino was first made in its report.
The consultants said any solution to the situation at the institute must address the core issue. In their view this was the fact that there was "no substance to a whole series of allegations" levelled against the college authorities by what they call a small "coterie" of staff.
Some 90 per cent of staff were interviewed by Farrell Grant Sparks from June 2005 to February 2006. The review was conducted by a five-member team led by Tom Murray.
The consultants deny its report was "doctored". It said draft reports were presented to the trustees but only to verify factual matters and to check it was complying with the terms of reference.
