My Department has received an application for grant aid towards the cost of a building project at Newtown girls' national school, Abbeyknockmoy, Tuam, County Galway.
The Deputy will appreciate that there has been a massive and unprecedented increase in the funds allocated by this Government to the building programme at all levels. The allocation in the current year is £370.5 million or 470.4 million. This is almost four times the allocation made by the previous Government in 1997. This level of funding has enabled my Department to undertake a record number of building projects and it is my intention to continue this rate of progress in overcoming the deficit arising from many past years and in meeting the needs of the present day.