Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

We had the Minister for Education and Science in the House to debate the school building programme and hopefully we can ensure that the money is correctly spent this year, unlike last year when money went unspent and projects were not in a position to advance. I hope the Minister will learn from that mistake and ensure that she has regular meetings with the relevant section of her Department. A debate in the House to discuss long-term funding for school building would be opportune.

Could we also include a discussion about a university for the south east? The Minister for Transport appears lately to be doing all the running on this issue. I did not know the Department of Transport had responsibility for education matters but the Minister seems to be the leading spokesperson on a university for the south east. The Minister for Education and Science might attend the House to outline whether she has a role in that area and explain what plans she has to ensure a university for the south east.