asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the serious lack of equipment and overcrowding in the School of Engineering, Moylish, Limerick, which has resulted in classes being held in corridors; and when he will sanction the necessary expenditure by Limerick City VEC to enable them to provide such equipment and accommodation.

I am aware that there has been a significant increase in student numbers in the School of Engineering at Moylish, thereby putting pressure on accommodation.

The longer-term needs of the school will have to be considered in the context of the higher education needs of the Limerick area generally. In the meantime, if the vocational education committee wishes to put proposals to me for short-term improvements in their accommodation position, I shall be prepared to give them sympathetic consideration.

I understand that proposals have been put forward.

They have not.

My information is they certainly have in regard to equipment and that sanction is not forthcoming.

I said if the VEC wish to put proposals to me for short-term improvements in their accommodation problem I shall be prepared to give them sympathetic consideration. The school is very overcrowded and if the VEC would like to put forward some proposals in relation to a short-term solution, such as renting accommodation, I would be more than happy to facilitate them.

As well as being overcrowded with students it is undercrowded with equipment. I understand there are applications to the Department to sanction the purchase of essential equipment. Will the Minister agree to it being purchased now? The question referred to equipment as well as accommodation.

With regard to the reference to the lack of equipment, there is no specific complaint from the committee before my Department. The question of the provision of equipment is normally a matter for the vocational committee. They purchase equipment from the budget allocated to them in each financial year. The VEC have discretion in relation to equipment purchased, so the people in the engineering school might take that matter up directly with the VEC.