Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

When I met Deputies Lowry and Cahill in Thurles, I was very taken by the presentation by the authorities of Mary Immaculate College and its vision of a synergy between second-level education, further education and third-level education all on the one campus. This has potential. I have spoken to the Minister for Education. I am conscious that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is sitting two or three seats up from me. To be fair, he has given a lot of green lights to education. The school accommodation programme has been over-expended. We have said let us keep building the schools if we can. I am sure the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform understands the potential this site now offers. I have been persuaded by Deputies Lowry and Cahill. Obviously, it has to be examined and put into the framework. A lot of money is going to be spent anyway on the existing project so it is just doing the right thing for the long term. The Minister and the officials are saying they will make a decision as soon as possible.

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