Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

What will the Minister do about the Ministers or Departments which are withdrawing their commitment to the strategy? His Department co-ordinates the strategy. I refer specifically to the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy O'Keeffe. Can the Minister knock heads together and get all the Ministers together who were part of the strategy when the Taoiseach launched it some weeks ago? I do not know what the structures are - the Cabinet sub-committee or the IDG may deal with this area. It must be very embarrassing that some of the Minister's Cabinet colleagues are walking away from the strategy. Over the year this money was moved from his Department to the Department of Education and Science. It was included in the education ELS. Will the Minister meet the Minister for Finance, Deputy Lenihan, get the money back for his Department and run the projects?

Deputy Byrne referred to Ballyfermot. There are a number of educational projects in my area of Finglas and Ballymun. We could understand a cut of 10% or 11% because that is the world in which we now live. Projects will have to live with that. Ministers are announcing they are withdrawing their commitment with regard to money which was transferred from their Departments several years ago. I ask the Minister to get that money back and run the projects himself. He is responsible for them and his Department is the co-ordinator for the strategy. Ministers cannot be allowed to carry on like that.

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