Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

However, the Deputies will appreciate that I am not — and I indicated this when I visited the school — in a position to give the go-ahead for any more projects to proceed to construction at this time, including that for Kilfinane. I do not want to mislead this school or indeed any other school in the same situation by making any suggestions to the contrary.

I indicated quite clearly to the community that I am currently reviewing with my officials the Department's spending plans for this year, that I am in the middle of this process, that it will not be complete for some time and that I will not be making any decision on any further capital expenditure until that process is completed.

Under the last national development plan, more than 7,800 building projects were delivered to provide new and modernised educational infrastructure but the reality is that not all needs can be met together. They must be met incrementally and in order of priority.

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