Written answers
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
Department of Education and Skills
School Accommodation
9:00 pm
Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 66: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools that will be given the option of taking up rental contracts for prefabricated buildings in 2012; and the number that were given the option in each year between 2007 and 2011. [14476/12]
Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The number of new prefab rental contracts sanctioned from 2007 to date is outlined below:
Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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2012 Nil (To date)
The above figures exclude approvals to renew existing rental contracts.
Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 67: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools that will be given the option of buying their prefab rather than renting it in 2012; and the number of schools that were given this option in each year between 2007 and 2011. [14477/12]
Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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To date no school has been given the option to purchase their rented prefab in 2012.
Since 2009, as a result of my Department's review of temporary accommodation, 212 rented prefab units at 33 schools have been purchased, bringing an end to rental contracts at these schools. The yearly breakdown is as follows: 2009: 89 rented prefabs were purchased at 13 schools. 2010: 82 rented prefabs were purchased at 12 schools. 2011: 41 rented prefabs were purchased at 8 schools.
Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 68: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools that will be given the option of using grant aid to build a new classroom rather than renting a prefabricated building in 2012; and the number of schools that were given this option in each year between 2007 and 2011. [14478/12]
Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As the Deputy is aware I recently announced a new initiative to replace rented prefabs in schools. Almost 200 schools have been offered an opportunity to replace rented prefabs with permanent accommodation. As this is a new initiative it was not available to schools previously.
Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 69: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the savings he estimates for 2012 on prefabricated buildings; and the breakdown of savings made in relation to spending on prefabricated buildings for each year between 2007 and 2011. [14479/12]
Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As the Deputy is aware I recently announced an initiative to replace rented prefabs in schools. Almost 200 schools have been offered an opportunity to replace rented prefabs with permanent accommodation. The new initiative will result in savings of approx €5m per annum on the rental of prefabs in these schools in the coming years.
The amount spent on renting temporary accommodation at primary and post-primary level, including – but not limited to - prefabricated accommodation in the last 5 years is as follows:
2011: €28.9 million
2010: €29.3 million
2009: €39 million
2008: €53 million
2007: €35.5 million
Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 70: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he intends to completely end the practice of using prefabricated buildings; and when he expects this practice to end; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14480/12]
Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The overall policy goal of my Department is to ensure the highest standard of permanent accommodation for all schools. However, in the context of a rapidly increasing school population and competing pressure on the capital budget available to my Department, it is necessary to make use of temporary accommodation in order to meet the accommodation needs of schools.
My Department's current policy 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. This policy will reduce the usage of prefabricated accommodation in schools. In addition the new initiative I announced recently will also reduce the number of rented prefabs in use in schools and will result in savings of approx €5m per annum on the rental of prefabs in these schools in the coming years.
My Department will continue to examine ways of reducing the use of prefab accommodation in schools.
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