Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I hear the Deputy's proposal. The Cabinet made a clear decision, given the economic circumstances that prevail, that €25 million would be made available in 2015 and in 2016. I conveyed this very clearly to the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister. The officials on both sides were tasked with a readjustment of the fiscal programme to cater for that. We discussed that directly with the two Ministers involved.

In the west and the north west, much other work is continuing in third level institutions. The Minister for Education and Skills had a very useful bilateral meeting, and discussed the payment from the Government for radiotherapy facilities at Altnagelvin Area Hospital and other cross-Border activities in the north west.

The redesign and readjustment of the fiscal programme will now take into account the clear decision of the Government. While it is not all that was envisaged in the first place, neither are the economic circumstances, but the decision brings clarity to things. The Executive and the officials here will now work on the adjustment of the fiscal programme to cater for the three sections of the road involved. We are not in any way abandoning the project, but will see it through to fruition in the three stages outlined.

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