Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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There were 1,694 prefabricated units being rented in primary and post-primary schools at the end of March 2011 at a cost of €23.2 million. This compares with 1,490 units being rented at the end of March 2012 at a cost of €19 million and 1,273 being rented at the end of March this year at a cost of €17 million. We have been systematically trying to reduce it. The Deputy should note that one prefab unit may consist of one or more classrooms and-or ancillary accommodation. This reduction results from the delivery of projects from the five year capital plan and the 2012 prefab replacement initiative. The Deputy will be aware that, under the Department’s 2012 prefab replacement initiative, approval was given to 170 schools nationally to replace 558 prefab units with permanent accommodation. In excess of €42 million was allocated for this initiative of which €27.2 million has been paid to date. Of these, a total of 142 projects have gone to construction and 55 of these have been completed. The total rental savings achieved by the 55 completed projects are in the region of €1 million. These figures will be subject to change as further projects are completed.

The initiative will result in savings of approximately €5 million per annum on the rental prefabs of these schools in the coming years. In June of this year I announced a further prefab replacement initiative to replace in the region of 115 prefabs in 46 schools with permanent accommodation. A total of €15 million has been allocated in 2013 to 2014 and this further initiative will result in an additional rental saving of €2.5 million per annum. Replacing prefabs is part of the Government’s €475 million education infrastructure plan for 2014. The plan will provide for modern high quality accommodation for pupils and teachers and construction-related jobs for workers around the country.