Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 39 together.

The estimated rental cost for temporary accommodation for primary and post-primary schools in 2009 will be approximately €48 million. The rental of accommodation relates not only to prefabricated accommodation, but also to a number of permanent buildings which are used as schools.

I have asked my Department to compile a list as requested by the Deputy of all schools where the cumulative cost of renting prefabricated accommodation exceeds €50,000. I will forward this information to the Deputy shortly.

Demand for additional accommodation in schools has risen significantly over the past number of years with the appointment of 6,000 extra teachers in the primary sector alone since 2002. The overall policy goal is to ensure the highest standard of permanent accommodation for all schools. However, in the context of a rapidly increasing school population, the necessity to put additional accommodation in place in a short timeframe and competing pressure on the capital budget, it will continue to be necessary to use temporary accommodation to meet the needs of schools in some circumstances. This is because competing priorities mean that it will not always be possible to have a permanent accommodation solution in place in a short timeframe.

The Department will continue to provide funding for such prefabricated accommodation and the decision on whether to rent or purchase will depend on the likely length of time it will be required. In all cases, the approach will be to ensure best value for money. Following an analysis of costs by my Department, it is now the policy to purchase rather than rent temporary accommodation where the need is likely to last for more than three years. This will reduce the incidence of long-term rental of prefabricated classrooms.

Separately, as indicated by my officials at a recent meeting of the Joint Committee on Education and Science, my Department has already commenced a review of this area and has engaged a firm of chartered quantity surveyors to develop new procedures and systems for the provision of temporary accommodation with a view to achieving best value for money. This firm of specialists has already commenced and will work in close co-operation with the planning and building unit of the Department.

The review will involve new contractual terms to incorporate buy-out and relocation options to cater for individual local circumstances. It will also involve an assessment of all existing rental contracts between schools and suppliers with a view to identifying action to reduce overall rental costs for the Department. The Deputies will appreciate that there is a substantial amount of work involved in this approach. However, I have asked my Department to give this work priority and it is envisaged that it will be completed before the end of this year.

In the meantime, where the Department has given approval to a school to rent temporary accommodation, the school authorities must seek competitive quotes from suppliers. This will allow schools to take advantage of the best value available in the current market.

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