Nicky McFadden (Fine Gael)

I wish to raise the school building projects the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, is including for this year. As representatives for Westmeath, Senator Cassidy and I, along with our other colleagues, met the Minister in regard to a number of schools, for example, the dance school for Kinnegad and Athlone community college. There is no mention of these schools, as is the case with a number of schools around the country. How does the Minister select schools? Before the last election, there were several announcements made about school buildings being progressed and started in the following few weeks, but sadly nothing happened.

I appreciate that the Minister had taken on a new brief and had to review a number of the existing projects. Speaking of "succour", what will happen to the schools that need buildings for 2009? I ask the Leader to invite him to the House for a debate on school building projects, transparency, and how schools are delivered.