Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It will be a completely new programme starting in the beginning of 2016. We are always looking for money so if there is any stimulus money we will look for more funding for capital for this year. We have announced our current capital programme for this year, which included those 70 schools, but we will always chase after any money that might become available. If we do get money, we will certainly look at schools that are anticipating that they might be ready for the start of the next programme.

There is a positive answer to the Chairman's question on the reason the current spending has decreased. It is because there are fewer rentals of prefabricated buildings because of the prefab programme. On the Department's prefab initiative, approval has been given to 209 primary schools and eight post-primary schools, as I said at the outset, to replace 614 prefab units with permanent accommodation.

I have more information generally on the replacement prefab programme. Phase 1 of the initiative was launched in 2012, with €42 million in funding to replace 458 prefab units with permanent accommodation at 167 primary schools and four post-primary schools. To date, 157 of these projects have been completed, with eight currently in train.

Phase 2 of the initiative was announced in June 2013 to allow 46 schools replace 119 mainstream classrooms and 37 resource rooms. Approval has been given to 42 primary schools with an allocation of €14 million and to four post-primary schools with an allocation of €1.6 million. Nine of the projects are currently under construction, with seven projects completed at a cost of €3.5 million to date. The total estimated costs are €15 million, with the majority spend in 2015 of €12 million. If any member wants that in writing, I can give it to him or her later.

In the new programme to which I referred, we will continue the programme of replacing prefabs because we would all agree it is not ideal, but sometimes prefabs are needed in urgent situations. One of the significant achievements of my predecessor, Deputy Quinn, was to get that programme under way, and I certainly intend to continue with it.