Seán Canney
Question:250. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education the expected life span of modular classrooms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43354/23]
View answerThursday, 5 October 2023
Questions (250)
Written answers
Modular accommodation is a feature of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) which describes a range of manufacturing and innovative alternatives to traditional construction. There are many benefits of adopting MMC in the school sector ranging from faster delivery of construction projects to minimising disruption in live school environments. My Department has established a Modular Framework of suppliers which provides high quality school accommodation and increased sustainability to improve the energy performance of school accommodation, resulting in improved comfort, lower energy bills and reduced carbon emissions. Framework suppliers use factory controlled precision through digitalisation and strict quality control processes to create consistent quality construction.
While the intended lifespan of individual units may currently vary, the Department of Education is constantly updating its guidance to reflect the changes and possibilities of MMC in Ireland. The delivery of school buildings using MMC with a design life span of at least 60 years is part of this continuing change. The factory precision of MMC contributes to the ability of this form of construction to deliver consistently robust buildings which are easy to manage and maintain, providing high quality learning spaces for the students of today and the future.