Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 158: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of contracts her Department has entered into, directly or sanctioned indirectly, for the renting of temporary accommodation; the yearly average rent, per unit, per annum; the duration of the rental contract; the life expectancy of the temporary accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26852/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested by the Deputy is not available as the parties to the contracts are generally the school authority and the rental company and as such the Department provides grant aid to individual school authorities towards these costs.

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 total capital expenditure at primary and post-primary level in 2006 was €524.68m The expenditure on rental for the same period was €24.5m. Therefore, the expenditure on rental of temporary school accommodation for the same period represents 4.6% as a % of the total capital expenditure.