209 Mr. Hughes asked the Minister for Education the provisions, if any, which have been made in the public capital programme for 1997 for the further development of Castlebar regional technical college, County Mayo; and whether she intends to grant independent status to the regional technical college. [24831/96]

249 Mr. Hughes asked the Minister for Education the financial provisions in the public capital programme for 1997 which have been made for the further development of Castlebar regional technical college, County Mayo; and whether she will grant it independent status. [24464/96]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 209 and 249 together. The development of the Castlebar campus of Galway Regional Technical College is a new and unique concept in the regional technical college sector in Ireland. The steering committee on the future development of higher education recommended in its report that this new concept should be kept under review, as it develops further over the next three to five years. Pending this review of the development, it would be premature to make decisions on the question of a fully independent regional technical college for Castlebar. A sum in excess of £2.3 million has been expended to date on third level capital developments at the Castlebar campus of Galway Regional Technical College. A proposal from Galway Regional Technical College to expand facilities at the Castlebar campus has been received and will be considered by my Department in the context of overall capital resources and the general review of the development.