There is no question of a lack of funding in this area. I assure the House that this extremely important issue is being dealt with. There are approximately 6,000 buildings which come under the care of my Department and we acted immediately, based on information provided to us by various Departments, schools, etc., in all cases where asbestos was discovered. In all instances we have acted to secure the buildings in question and ensure that the asbestos was removed.
Most of the discoveries of asbestos relate to buildings that were built before 1980. Many of the 6,000 buildings to which I refer were erected post-1980 and it is highly unlikely that they contain asbestos. To date, work has been completed on over 1,900 buildings while there are a number of buildings in respect of which works are either outstanding or in the process of being carried out. Specialist contractors are required to carry out such works and many are fully engaged in asbestos removal at present.
When I entered office I put in place a specialist dedicated team to deal with this matter. I am satisfied that we are on top of the problem and the different bodies involved acknowledge that an excellent job is being done. I am unaware of any immediate risks to people's health but I am in a position to confirm that we are trying to complete works on a number of buildings at present.