Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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622. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the anticipated increase of prefab accommodation for schools; the cost of the increase; the way in which the tendering process operates; the person or body with which the responsibility rests, if the cost of permanent classrooms reflects the expense of deploying the temporary classrooms; and if the budget allocated for new schools is constrained as a result. [28872/17]

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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623. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the names of all companies which are providing temporary classrooms on a national basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28873/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 622 and 623 together.

My Department’s policy on renting prefab accommodation in individual cases depends on a number of factors.  If the accommodation need is deemed short term, the policy is generally to approve temporary rental of accommodation. For example, a school may require a temporary building while it is awaiting the completion of construction of a permanent building.  In some cases, a school may need accommodation at very short notice and this can only be provided through temporary accommodation.  

Generally, a school procures its temporary accommodation by obtaining at least three quotes for prefab providers.  The contract is between the school authority and the provider.  Where a building project is involved and a temporary decant is necessary, prefab procurement is likely to form part of the tender process for the building project itself and the responsibility will rest with whoever is delivering the project.

Where the need for additional accommodation is likely to be for a period of more than three years, the school is given grant aid to construct a permanent structure.

It is not possible to say what the level of demand will be for temporary accommodation as this is on a case by case basis depending on the particular circumstances of individual schools as outlined.  The level of demand for capital funding to meet demographic needs continues to be such that it would not be possible to provide funding for permanent accommodation for all the needs at the same time, nor would it be possible to meet any immediate needs that arise by approving permanent accommodation as a solution due to the design, statutory processes and procurement stages involved.

Similar to permanent accommodation, the cost of providing temporary accommodation for a school is site specific and is subject to individual site conditions, planning permission conditions and Fire Officer and Disability Access Certificate conditions.   The cost of individual projects can only effectively be known when a project has been fully designed, has been through the planning permission processes and has been tendered.

The provision of rented accommodation does not compromise my Department’s capital budget.  Rather it ensures that school’s short term needs are met as quickly as possible and that very child can have access to a physical school place.

The Deputy may wish to know that, subject to resources, it is intended to replace all purchased prefabs with permanent accommodation over the lifetime of the Department's current capital programme, which runs from 2016 to 2021.  Again, subject to resources the replacement programme is likely to commence in 2019.  Prefab Replacement Schemes are not, however, the only manner by which prefabs are replaced by the Department. Prefabs are routinely replaced in schools as part of major building projects. This includes schools that were on the Department's 5-year capital Programme (2012-2016) and those that are on the Department's new 6-year Programme (2016-2021).

In regard to the names of companies providing temporary classrooms on a national basis, I will arrange for this information to be forwarded directly to the Deputy.