Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was not in this office in 2014 and cannot say why these projects were put on the construction list but every one of them is being progressed. The Deputy can see that in my reply. As he rightly says, some are at an earlier stage than would have been expected when they were put on the list in 2014. The reason for that is often planning or site difficulties. They were not due to an unwillingness to progress these projects. There is never an occasion in the Department of Education and Skills when money is returned to the Department of Finance. Most Departments return money at the end of the year unspent because they do not have a supply chain like our pipeline that ensures the money and projects are delivered. We can stand over the quality and numbers of our buildings. We are meeting the demographic trend. Of course there are people who would like to see it happen faster.

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