Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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136. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied) for the refurbishment of home economics rooms; and if the school will be considered for the replacement of prefabs, in view of the fact that they have fallen into disrepair and the school has a rise in student numbers over the next number of years. [17283/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application to my Department for improved accommodation. The application will be considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been completed.

With regard to prefab replacement, over the lifetime of my Department's Capital Programme, it is my intention to replace all purchased temporary accommodation with permanent accommodation, where the need is established. To enable this development, my Department will be carrying out an assessment of the number of prefabs being used in schools to deliver the curriculum. This will also determine whether or not individual prefabs need to be replaced in the context of the long-term accommodation needs of each individual school. Some schools are operating in prefabs as a temporary measure while their permanent accommodation is being built. When completed, this assessment will quantify the number of prefabs to be replaced.