Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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144. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to meet to the maximum extent possible the full requirements as set out in the school building programme and as reflected in submissions from the various school authorities at primary and secondary level; the extent to which this will entail the replacement of existing prefabricated or temporary structures with permanent buildings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25764/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that over €2.2 billion in funding is being invested by my Department under its Five-Year School Capital Investment Plan (2012 – 2016). Over €1.5 billion of this is being allocated for the funding of major school building projects. The balance is being used for the additional accommodation scheme, the prefab replacement initiative, the Emergency Works Scheme and the acquisition of sites.

The primary focus of the Plan is on meeting demographic demands to ensure that every child will have access to a physical school place and that our school system is in a position to cope with increasing pupil numbers. The Plan contains details of the 275 major school projects that are planned to commence construction over the duration of the period of the Plan. In addition, arising from the Government's stimulus funding package, a further 44 school projects are also being progressed to construction.

My Department is committed to publishing an annual construction programme. The current status in relation to the projects contained in the annual programmes for the four years, 2012, 2013, 2014 and the current year 2015, is published on my Department's web-site which is updated regularly. To date, 88 projects contained in the Five Year Plan have been completed.

Under my Department's Prefab Replacement Initiatives 2012 and 2013, approval was given to 217 schools (209 primary and 8 post-primary) nationwide, including Co. Kildare, to replace 614 prefab units with permanent accommodation. In excess of €57m has been allocated to these initiatives, of which €46.5m has been paid to date. Of the 217 projects approved, 168 projects have been completed and a further 14 projects are on site.

In addition to the prefab replacement initiatives and as part of my Department's large scale school building programme, prefab accommodation continues to be replaced with permanent structures on an on-going basis.

The Department continues to review the most up to date demographic information to ensure that any emerging school accommodation shortfalls are identified and met in a timely manner. In this regard, the Department is currently carrying out a nationwide demographic exercise to determine where additional new schools and extensions will be required from 2017 onwards to meet additional demographic demand. On foot of this review, arrangements will be made to provide additional accommodation where this is required.