Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 59: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a breakdown of the number of prefabs in use and the amount spent per school in the provision and maintenance of these prefabs in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43404/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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There are currently 63 prefab units being rented by 27 schools in County Donegal. The total annual rental cost for these units is €823,480. It should be noted that a prefab unit may consist of one or more classrooms and/or ancillary accommodation and that expenditure incurred on the maintenance or upkeep of rented prefab units is generally included in the rental contract between the prefab provider and the school authorities. Two recent policy changes implemented by my Department have reduced the annual rental costs for prefab units, including in County Donegal. The first is to provide devolved grant aid for the purchase (rather than rental) of additional accommodation where the need for such accommodation is likely to exist for more than three years. The second is to offer schools being approved for devolved grant aid for additional accommodation the option to use their capital grant aid to build a permanent classroom(s) rather than purchase a prefab. These policies are having the effect of reducing the usage of prefabricated accommodation and, particularly, the incidence and cost associated with the long term rental of prefabs.