Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I again thank the Minister for his response. I welcome the reduction. The €128 million figure relates to the past five years and came from the media, based on freedom of information data. I remain unconvinced that the issue is being given the priority it deserves. We are wasting millions of euro that could be channelled into special education, for example, as we mentioned earlier and many other different areas. Building schools will save money in the long term because we will not be wasting millions on prefabs that provide substandard conditions.

I have spoken to principals who have informed me that they could have had their extension built three times over for the same amount they have poured down the drain for their prefabs. Further money is being wasted on maintenance of these prefabs. As the Minister knows, many of the prefabs deteriorate over time. I have seen many of them in a dilapidated state - I am sure the Minister also has - and they are simply not fit to accommodate children and teachers. It is also a huge waste of money. The Minister continually refers to money and budgets, and this needs to be considered over the long term.

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