Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, for coming into the House to discuss this matter with me. I wish to raise the issue, or what many would regard as the growing problem, of prefabricated classrooms in schools, in addition to their unsuitability and cost. It is reckoned that a massive number of prefabricated structures are being used as classrooms in schools throughout the country. While they are supposed to be used in the initial stages of building projects and temporarily to facilitate demand, there is evidence to suggest the cost to the State of renting or part-leasing is multiples of what is first planned. Representatives of one school told me recently that they were disappointed and frustrated. They were in despair because permission was granted for a new school beside the existing Archbishop Ryan school in Lucan, which has a considerable number of prefabricated buildings. The school, like many others in the State, has served its community well. It has been serving the community in Lucan for over 30 years. Some 1,500 children are in prefabricated structures in the Lucan area, including Archbishop Ryan school.

I had a discussion recently with a principal in the Newcastle area in my constituency. I was told the principal's school had a two-storey prefabricated structure. This causes frustration.

I am conscious that the Minister was bequeathed a budget by the previous Government and he is expected to do wonders with what is a limited budget in the most difficult times. On a number of occasions I stated that during the Minister's first two years in office many schools had been granted extensions and permission for new buildings. Permission for nine has been granted by the Minister in my constituency. I have two questions for him. I ask him to consider arranging a special examination to ascertain the value for money of prefabricated buildings. Could the Government have a special building programme that would bring about job creation, in addition to banishing the dreadful prefabricated buildings? I acknowledge the wonderful work we have been doing in difficult circumstances. Considerable progress has been made in the Government's first two years in office, but, as part of the legacy the Minister has inherited, conditions are very unsatisfactory, including in many schools that have had prefabricated buildings for many years.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, as it gives me an opportunity to outline to the House the progress made in recent years by my Department in reducing the number of prefabricated classrooms in use in both primary and post-primary schools. When in opposition, I raised the fact that approximately 80,000 pupils were in prefabricated classrooms.

The overall policy goal of my Department is to ensure the highest standard of permanent accommodation for all schools. In regard to the number of prefabs being rented in schools, through the prefab replacement initiative, I have provided an opportunity for over 170 schools, out of a total of 4,000 primary and post-primary schools nationally, to replace their prefabs with permanent accommodation. In excess of €42 million has been allocated for this initiative, of which €22.3 million has been paid to date. In the context of a rapidly increasing school population and competing pressure on the capital budget available to my Department, it is still sometimes necessary to make use of temporary accommodation in order to meet the accommodation needs of schools. Where a major project is being delivered at a school that has temporary accommodation, my Department endeavours to replace this temporary accommodation with a permanent structure where the prevailing funding permits and site conditions and circumstances allow.

Since 2008 the practice in the Department has been that where the need for additional accommodation is likely to be for a finite period of less than three years, the school is given approval to rent temporary accommodation. I refer to the closure of a gap of three years, or less. Where the need for additional accommodation is likely to be for a period of more than three years, the school is given grant aid to either build a permanent structure or purchase a prefabricated structure. Of 409 classrooms approved under my Department's additional accommodation scheme, 360 opted for permanent buildings. Following the introduction of this policy in 2008, the numbers of prefabs being rented has reduced to the point where only 38 new rental contracts for prefabricated accommodation at primary level were entered into in 2012. The number of schools receiving grant aid towards the cost of rented accommodation at primary and post-primary level is now in firmly in decline.

Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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There has been considerable work done, as referred to in my opening comments, and also considerable progress. The report indicates very clearly that there has been a dramatic reduction in dependency and that we are certainly heading in the right direction. I received a letter last Thursday from the Minister on Archbishop Ryan school. He offered me the opportunity of meeting his officials to ascertain how the case in question could be examined, given that it had been outstanding for so long. I referred to Newcastle primary school, but there are other schools in my constituency. I thank the Minister for his recent correspondence. Could he give me an additional update on some of the schools to which I referred? If he can, I will be most grateful.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to outline to the House the work done to reduce the number of prefabricated classrooms in both primary and post-primary schools. I will continue to use the resources available to me to reduce further the use of prefabricated classrooms in all schools. I am aware of the problems in the Deputy's constituency, particularly Lucan. The matter has been brought to my attention by the Deputy's colleague, Deputy Joanna Tuffy, and my colleague, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald. I refer, in particular, to a large school that has been in place for some time. I am aware of the concerns some schools have been expressing. Whereas they are still in prefabricated accommodation, new schools coming through are getting new buildings. Understandably, this is causing some concern and difficulties. The reality is that we have changed the policy on prefabricated buildings. During the height of the building boom prefabricated buildings were seen as an answer, but in retrospect, it was crazy. The amount spent on renting prefabricated buildings has dropped considerably, but we will continue to make progress throughout the five year construction plan I announced in March 2012. This outlines the major schools building projects that will proceed to construction over the duration of the plan. Should additional funding become available, projects not included in the plan will be considered further. The five year plan is not the end of the story. However, it is a priority because, having seen increases in population, the Deputy will be aware that it is important that the children who were born this morning in maternity hospitals across the country be looking into a schoolyard in four years, not a field. I am constantly concerned about this issue and it has to be the overriding priority. While some schools are in prefabricated buildings and believe they are being bypassed, we must increase the available accommodation to meet the fastest growing population in Europe so as to ensure children will have a classroom in which they can be educated.