I believe there is a logjam in the Department of Education and I want to use two examples. Mullaghoran National School has been approved for a special educational needs, SEN, base. It was approved in March 2022 and has progressed to stage 2B but the principal there is at her wits' end and totally frustrated waiting for that next piece where it can move to tender. She has been trying since very early on this year but has gotten no further. The second example is Bailieborough Community School, which was approved to almost double its footprint. It is bursting at the seams due to the success of the teaching staff there. It badly needs to move from stage 2A to stage 2B but, again, it appears that it has been long-fingered by the Department. Anything that can be done to assist the Minister, Deputy Foley, and to ensure she has the resources in the Department to allow these projects to move on would be deeply appreciated.

The Department of Education has been allocated a very considerable capital budget for next year, mostly for new schools and school extensions. I think it is in the region of €1 billion; it is certainly several hundred million euro. As is often the case, there are many more projects that we need to progress than we currently have funding for. I know the Ministers, Deputy Foley and Donohoe, are aware of the problem and are working on it. I am as keen as Deputy Smyth to see many of these projects under way in the early part of next year.