Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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282. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of prefabricated classrooms that were replaced under the previous programme for Government; the number that were identified but not replaced; the total cost of replacement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22408/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Under the Department's Prefab Replacement Initiatives in 2012 and 2013, approval was given to 209 primary and 8 post primary schools nationally to replace their rented prefab accommodation (614 units) with permanent accommodation. In excess of €57m has been allocated for these initiatives of which €52.2m has been paid to date.

However, this is not the only manner by which prefabs were replaced by my Department. Prefabs are routinely replaced in schools as part of their major building projects. This includes schools that were on my Department's 5-year capital Programme (2012-2016) and those that are on my Department's new 6-year Programme (2016-2021). The cost of the prefab element of the major projects involved is not readily available nor is information held in the Department on prefabs identified and not replaced.

The Deputy will be aware that it is my intention to replace all purchased prefabs with permanent accommodation over the lifetime of my Department' s current capital programme. The funding provision of €180 million is being made available from 2019 for this initiative in the programme.