Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yes. The Minister has used a new word for cuts. He said the word "cut" at one point, which is what has happened with the capital budget. Despite the number of places increasing, he said that we would have to "cut" our cloth according to the measure but, subsequently, he returned to using his buzzword "prioritise". Prioritise is the new word for cuts. The Department is not building as many PE halls, laboratories or school buildings as heretofore. It is a priority rather than a cut, which is a new one on me. He must approach his Cabinet colleagues and tell them that his Department is under pressure and, therefore, needs more money.

Yesterday, in a response to a written parliamentary question that I tabled, a list of seven schools was provided. The schools have had to apply for planning permission on a second occasion because the original planning permission lapsed. My attention was drawn to the matter because two of the schools are located in my area of County Meath. They are: Whitecross national school near Julianstown and Lismullen national school. I know I should not say anything about open planning files but both of the schools have had to apply again for planning permission. The Department has blamed many people for the problems. The fact that schools have had to renew planning permissions is a damning indictment of the capital programme.