Trinity College Dublin (TCD) recorded a net surplus of €17.3 million last year before as the college’s total income for 2025 topped the €664.7 million generated in 2024.
Newly released meeting minutes of the TCD Finance Committee show the expected surplus for the 12 months to the end of September last was ahead of budget by €2 million.
“The improvement in performance reflects growth in income, primarily from philanthropic donations, academic fees and growth in Endowment Fund income,” the committee heard. It is chaired by provost, Dr Linda Doyle.
The minutes show the overall surplus for the year was €33.7 million after taking into account unrealised net gains.
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This was down 33 per cent on the prior year.
The €33.7 million reflects unrealised gains and committed funding rather than generally available resources, with €16.8 million arising from gains on the value of investments and a further €7.8 million ring-fenced for the Old Library Redevelopment Project (OLRD).
The committee was told that full-year income and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) “are both ahead of budget and prior year”.
The committee also noted that operating costs increased year-on-year, with non-pay costs ahead of budget, driven by increases across several cost categories “highlighting the need for a continued focus on cost management”.
Separately, new accounts show that the firm commercialising the TCD brand last year made a donation of €2.17m to Trinity College Dublin.
The €2.17 million donation made in the 12 months to the end of September last was 55 per cent ahead of the €1.4 million donation made to Trinity Foundation in the prior year.
New accounts for Trinity Brand Commercial Services Limited to the end of last September show that it recorded a pre-donation profit of €2.26m which was almost triple the €784,621 pre-donation profit made in 2023/24 year.
The directors state that the pre-donation profit of €2.26 million
was “driven by increased commercial activity and positive impact of visitor numbers on the TCD campus”.
The principal activity of the company is the commercialisation of the Trinity College Dublin brand and intellectual property.
