Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the extent to which the school building programme has been accelerated in the past six months, with particular reference to the urgent need to replace temporary prefabricated structures with permanent classroom accommodation in all schools at both primary and secondary level throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6775/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The budget for 2007 was the first year of the rollout of the new NDP 2007-2013 which will involve an investment of over €4.5 billion in school building infrastructure over the coming years to ensure that school places are available where needed. This investment will be the largest in the history of the State and will enable my Department to continue to take a proactive approach to the provision of modern school accommodation particularly in developing areas and the upgrade of existing accommodation. The main focus of the school building programme for 2008 and subsequent years is to deliver additional capacity in the rapidly developing areas. I am conscious of the need to provide more school places quickly and these are being delivered.

Innovations in the delivery of school buildings such as Generic Repeat Designs and the use of the Design and Build model ensure that new school buildings are delivered in the fastest time-frame possible. My Department has also improved forward planning through greater cooperation between the Department of Education and Local Authorities and the publication of 10-year Area Development Plans.