David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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586. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to an application for funding from a school (details supplied) in County Waterford for the replacement of two prefab buildings; if his attention has been further drawn to health and safety concerns regarding the use of these prefabs; if the school will get the capital funding to replace same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28498/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, it is my intention in accordance with the Programme for Government to replace all purchased temporary accommodation with permanent accommodation, where the need is established, over the lifetime of my Department's capital programme (2016-2021). 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 individual prefabs need to be replaced in the context of the long-term accommodation needs of each individual school. When completed, this assessment will quantity the number of prefabs to be replaced.

It is intended that this assessment, when finalised, will enable the replacement of such prefabs to commence in 2019. A funding provision of €180 million is being made available from 2019 for this initiative in the programme.