Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2021
424. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education the number of primary schools that are currently operating within temporary accommodation; the names and locations of these schools, the length of time each school has been in temporary accommodation in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48390/21]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that details of all primary schools currently renting temporary prefabricated accommodation are currently being compiled and will be forwarded in the coming days. While the Department is aware that some schools are operating some classes in purchased prefabs around the country (funded by the Department and/or by the school authority), accurate information in respect of purchased prefabs is not readily available across the entire school estate and these are, therefore, excluded from this response.
While it is the policy of my Department to ensure a high standard of permanent accommodation for all schools, in the context of a rapidly increasing school population over the last decade or more it is sometimes necessary to make use of temporary accommodation to meet the accommodation needs of schools. Furthermore, it may also be necessary to make use of temporary rented accommodation when an immediate or short term need arises. For example, a school may require a temporary building in circumstances where a major school construction project is planned. Such temporary accommodation is removed when the major project concerned is completed. The length of time it is necessary to make use of temporary rented accommodation will vary from project to project.
I can, however, confirm that my Department is taking an integrated approach to prefab replacement through the replacement of prefabs as part of all large-scale projects. In addition, since mid-2018 all schools approved for additional accommodation under my Department’s Additional Accommodation Scheme are having their necessary prefabs replaced as part of their additional accommodation project. This integrated approach helps to streamline the delivery of projects for schools
There are approximately 1,200 school building projects within the current pipeline across the various stages of planning, design, tender and construction - most of which are expected to be either under construction or completed in the period 2021 to 2025. The progression and completion of these projects will make further inroads on the replacement of temporary prefabricated accommodation with knock-on savings on the rental budget.
Furthermore, my Department is currently undertaking a case by case assessment of the long-term accommodation requirements of all schools that have rented prefabricated accommodation, informed by my Department’s most recent national demographic analysis. Many of these schools are already part of the pipeline of projects under the school building programme and their prefab accommodation will be addressed as part of these projects. Maximising the opportunities to achieve value for money involves matching, as best as possible, the accommodation requirement with the appropriate accommodation solution. This is relevant for all accommodation projects progressed by the Department.
The changing landscape in relation to enrolments means that accommodation requirements can vary regionally and between short, medium and long-term and this is a relevant factor considered by the Department in determining the type of accommodation solution to be put in place.
