Dáil debates

Tuesday, 26 April 2005

Other Questions.

Schools Building Projects.

4:00 pm

Photo of Olwyn EnrightOlwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 58: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the amount being spent on prefabricated buildings in the education sector each year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12968/05]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In the five years to the end of 2004, my Department has spent €73.5 million on the purchase of prefabricated buildings in the primary and post-primary sectors. This expenditure was for the supply and installation of the prefabricated buildings, including associated site works and other costs such as for compliance with planning permission conditions, professional fees, connections for water, electricity and sewage. The breakdown of this expenditure by year is €4,407,981 in 2000, just over €9 million in 2001, approximately €21.5 million in 2002, €25.75 million in 2003 and €12,711,802 in 2004.

This expenditure represents less than 5% of the total expenditure on school buildings between 2000 and 2004. The total spent in these years on primary and post-primary school buildings, including PPP projects at second level, amounted to €1.6 billion. The demand for additional accommodation in schools has risen significantly over the last number of years, mainly due to the rapid expansion in teacher numbers, particularly in the area of special needs, the growth in the school-going population in rapidly developing areas and the demands to cater for diversity through the recognition of new Gaelscoileanna and Educate Together schools.

The current focus within my Department is to empower schools to resolve their accommodation needs, wherever possible, in a permanent manner rather than relying on temporary accommodation. In order to reduce the amount of temporary accommodation at primary level, a new initiative was launched in 2003. The purpose of this initiative is to allow primary schools to undertake a permanent solution to their classroom accommodation needs and to achieve the best value for money. The feedback from the 20 schools in this pilot was very positive. The initiative was expanded to include 44 additional primary schools in 2004 and more than 70 schools have been invited to participate in 2005.

My Department has also used other innovative solutions to deliver urgently required permanent accommodation for schools in rapidly developing areas. An example of this is the new 16 classroom primary school for Griffeen Valley Educate Together national school, Lucan, which was delivered through the use of a design and build contract within 13 months.

Photo of Olwyn EnrightOlwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Some €73.5 million over five years, which is a relatively short period, is a significant amount of money to spend on a temporary facility. I accept there is a need for stop-gap measures. The amount of money decreased in 2004 but it climbed steadily in the four years preceding that. What is the average lifespan of a prefabricated building? Given that €12.7 million was spent in 2004, how many schools were provided with prefabricated accommodation? When will these schools get permanent accommodation? How long is it intended to use these stop-gap measures in schools?

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Expenditure on prefabricated buildings amounts to just 5% of the €1.6 billion spent in recent years. The measure is used to ensure a speedy response in growing areas in particular. Many of these buildings are used throughout the country for children with special needs. A number of them have a very long lifespan and are of very good quality. In many instances, one would not recognise that the new ones are not a permanent solution. However, they are not designed to be a permanent solution, which is why the new initiative of allowing people funding is to allow them to decide whether they are able to build an extra classroom. Many schools are taking that option, which is encouraging. Unfortunately, there will always be a need for these buildings in order to provide extra space until new buildings are built.