Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that since November 2004, I have made a series of announcements regarding capital projects across all three sectors. Accordingly, I do not accept the Deputy's suggestion that there has been a delay in announcing budgetary decisions for capital projects. In November 2004, I ended the freeze on third level capital funding following the report of the review group on the prioritisation of all capital projects in the third level sector, the Kelly report, when I gave immediate approval for key projects in the sector. The projects selected were identified as being of a high national priority and include a number of new facilities to support the provision of additional health skills places and the expansion of teacher training places.

I also announced the reintroduction of a devolved grant scheme for minor capital works in the institutes of technology sector. The Institute of Technology, Tallaght received funding under this scheme. These announcements are the first steps in the process of addressing the infrastructural deficit in the third level sector. There are many further higher education projects recommended for funding in the Kelly report, including the projects at the Tallaght institute. I am considering how best to advance a number of these projects in the context of the capital envelope of funding available to me.