asked the Minister for Education if and when building will commence on the new National Institute for Higher Education campus at Ballymun, Dublin.

The time schedule envisages commencement of building work on a college of commerce in the coming autumn.

Is the Minister not aware that the most recent understanding that the residents of that area had was that building would commence in January and would he give an explanation of the reason for the delay?

There were various reasons, including the negotiations for the purchase of the site, but I think we are doing very well to start building in the autumn.

Could the Minister say when he anticipates that work on the building will be completed or sufficiently advanced to allow for the first intake of students into that complex?

I am afraid that I could not give the Deputy that information. Perhaps the Deputy would like to repeat that question and I will try to get him an approximate date.