Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 318: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the expenditure for each of the past ten years on the supply of temporary prefabricated buildings for primary schools and to upkeep prefabricated temporary buildings for primary schools; the amount of the school buildings budget that this represents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24595/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Expenditure incurred on the purchase of temporary primary school accommodation since 1998 is detailed in the following table. Expenditure incurred on maintenance or upkeep of accommodation — temporary or permanent — is a recurrent cost as distinct from a capital cost. Such expenditure falls to be funded from schools' recurrent sources of funding which are financed from capitation grants. Detailed breakdown of such expenditure is not available within my Department.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 319: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the cost in every year for the past ten years of renting buildings and rooms for the purposes of primary education, including staff, students, and equipment; the percentage that this represents of the education budget as a whole; and the percentage that this represents of the school buildings budget. [24598/08]

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 321: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the cost each year for the past ten years of renting buildings and rooms for the purpose of secondary education, including staff, students, and equipment; the percentage this represents of the education budget as a whole; and the percentage this represents of the school buildings budget. [24600/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 319 and 321 together.

The information on expenditure on the rental of temporary accommodation is provided in the following table. The Deputy will be aware that demand for additional accommodation in schools has risen significantly over the last number of years, with the appointment of 6,000 extra teachers in the primary sector alone since 2002. In considering the need to provide extra resource and other teachers to schools in recent years, the Government could have decided to make children wait until permanent accommodation could be provided. However, we prioritised putting the extra teachers into schools as soon as possible. Against this background, my Department has nonetheless managed to keep expenditure on temporary accommodation low.

It should be noted that temporary accommodation is not limited to prefabs and can also involve the rental of high quality buildings. As can be seen from the following table, the spend on temporary accommodation over the past ten years represents a small fraction of the overall yearly spend on school buildings and of the education budget as a whole.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 320: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the cost in every year for the past ten years to supply temporary prefabricated buildings for secondary schools and to upkeep prefabricated temporary buildings for secondary schools; the amount of the school buildings budget this represents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24599/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Expenditure incurred on the maintenance or upkeep of accommodation — temporary or permanent — is a recurrent cost as distinct from a capital cost. Such expenditure falls to be funded from schools' recurrent sources of funding which are financed from capitation grants. Detailed breakdown of such expenditure is not available within my Department. Please see the following table, outlining expenditure incurred on the purchase of temporary post primary school accommodation since 1998.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 322: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the cost each year for the past ten years of renting buildings and rooms for the purpose of third level education, including staff, students, and equipment; the percentage this represents of the education budget as a whole; and the percentage this represents of the school buildings budget. [24601/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My Department does not provide capital funding to rent buildings or rooms for the purpose of third level education. Capital funding is used for the purchase of buildings, for new builds or refurbishment. Universities and Institutes of Technology, which are autonomous institutions, receive recurrent funding in the form of a block grant from the Higher Education Authority (HEA). The disbursement of such funding internally is a matter for each institution to determine in the light of its priorities. Expenditure incurred on rental costs is a recurrent as distinct from a capital cost. Data regarding expenditure incurred, on rental, by these institutions are not readily available within my Department.