Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)

I first attended St. Kevin's 37 years ago and these prefabs were in situ when I went to school. It is a school in an extremely disadvantaged area, but one that often punches above its weight. In fact, the Taoiseach visited the school last year to see the award-winning DEIS Connect programme. I wonder whether he knew there were kids in 50-year-old prefabs out the back. As I said, I used these prefabs when I went to school. I have aged in the last 50 years and I can only imagine how much these prefabs have aged. I visited the school a few months ago. I do not say this lightly, but I was genuinely concerned about the health and safety of the pupils and their teachers. I walked across the floor and I genuinely thought it was going to give way. I reported this to the Health and Safety Authority. An investigation is ongoing. I genuinely think it is wrong that pupils today in my area are still using the same prefabs I used 37 years ago. Those prefabs were 15 years old when I used them 37 years ago and the pupils there are still using them.

The Minister said the assessment is taking place now, but the response I got yesterday stated it has been completed.

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