Mr. Fintan Hourihan:

I certainly hope that does not happen. It is a feature of the dental schools and medical schools that there is a role for both the Department of Education and the Department of Health. I know from experience of representing medical and dental staff in those schools that that is the way it has been set up. Either way, we hope the funding will be released sooner rather than later because the conditions in the dental school and hospital in Cork are certainly far from satisfactory right now. A new school would be very welcome and it would also free up space for medical facilities in Cork University Hospital.