Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 215: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will address the ongoing issue of temporary classroom accommodation in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8216/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 223: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the extent to which the school building programme is expected to meet long-standing requirements with particular reference to replacement of prefabricated buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8225/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 224: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the extent to which he will prioritise the replacement of temporary or prefabricated school buildings in the course of 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8226/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 215, 223 and 224 together.

Under the current National Development Plan (2007-2013), a total of almost €4.5bn, the largest investment in the history of the State, has been allocated to the school building programme. This investment will build on the achievements of the last National Development Plan 2000-2006, when an aggregate total of well over €2.6 billion was invested in upgrading the existing school infrastructure and providing new school accommodation at both first level and second level.

The original allocation for school building in 2009 of €581m has recently been increased by €75m. It represents a significant investment in the school building and modernisation programme. As the Deputy will appreciate, the climate within which the 2009 Budget has been framed is very different to that of recent years. The Government has been faced with very difficult choices across all areas of public spending. This level of funding for the building programme, at a time of great pressure on public finances, is a sign of the very real commitment of this Government to investing in school infrastructure and will permit the continuation of progress in the overall improvement of school accommodation.

Currently in my Department's school building and modernisation programme, there are 74 major projects at stage 3 (55 at primary and 19 at post primary level) which have been approved to proceed to tender and construction but are not yet on site. These projects include the 10 which I announced in January of this year and the 43 which I announced earlier this month. There are currently 28 major projects in construction (20 at primary and 8 at post primary level). As well as delivering additional school places to meet the needs of a rapidly increasing school going population and improving existing school infrastructure this programme funded investment in site purchases, the annual minor works grant to all primary schools, the asbestos and radon remediation programmes, science and technology initiatives, emergency works and grants for the purchase of furniture and equipment. It is also my intention to have a Summer Works Scheme in 2009.

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. It will continue to be necessary for prefabricated accommodation to be provided because competing priorities mean that it will not always be possible to have a permanent accommodation solution in place in a short timeframe. My Department will continue to provide funding for such prefabricated accommodation. In July of last year I introduced a further innovation which allows those schools with an urgent and pressing need for additional accommodation and who are being given approval for grant aid to avail of the option of using their grants either to purchase prefabs or to construct permanent classrooms for the same amount.