Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 18: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of pupils at primary and second level accommodated in temporary overcrowded or prefabricated accommodation at present; the degree to which this number is expected to change in 2009 or future years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19271/09]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 20: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children here being taught in prefabricated accommodation. [19218/09]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 20 together.

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 managements 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.

Following analysis of costs in my Department, it is now practice to purchase rather than rent temporary accommodation where the need for such accommodation is likely to exist for more than 3 years. This will reduce the incidence of long term rental of prefabs. In July of 2008, I introduced a further innovation which allows those schools with an urgent and pressing need for additional accommodation which is likely to last for more than 3 years, 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.