Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 229: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the average length of time for children to be accommodated in prefabricated or temporary structures at all levels here; if particular steps are expected to be taken to reduce the time within which various schools have to await permanent accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12366/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The 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 and, in some cases, this has involved the provision of high-quality prefabricated structures to accommodate them.

In general, my Department approves the purchase or rental of prefabricated classrooms based on need at the time of application. Local school management then organise their class numbers, year on year, to achieve the optimum local efficiencies. My Department does not hold information on the numbers of pupils in individual schools who currently occupy temporary accommodation; this depends on the organisation of class groups by schools within available accommodation and may vary from year to year.