My question relates to the programme for Government and the commitment to investing in the schools capital programme. The programme stated the Government is committed to:

... extensions/refurbishments, additional school places, and eliminating the use of prefabs. Significant funding has been secured as part of the Capital Plan.

The Taoiseach visited my constituency at the end of 2015 to announce a number of schools that were on the list for this year. However, hundreds of pupils, teachers and parents were outside the gates of Leinster House earlier as they discovered only in the past month that the funding might not be available this year or in future years. I have spoken about this matter to both Ministers sitting beside the Taoiseach. Can he give an assurance that the appropriate allocation will be available for schools, as the Government promised? It is important not to have an under-provision of funding and an over-provision of promises, particularly around election time, and that the Taoiseach matches his words relating to important capital matters.

I will ask the Minister, Deputy Bruton, to respond to the Deputy.

An additional €100 million was added to the capital budget for schools this year. I had a very useful meeting with the board, principal and patron of the particular school about which the Deputy is concerned. I gave a commitment that the Department would review its spending programmes to ascertain whether, in the light of the phasing of different programmes, additional schools could be released. However, there is a very full programme at present and the Department makes sure every penny allocated to it is spent. Nevertheless, I assure the Deputy that I understand the priority of the school to which the Deputy refers.