Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 9 Oct 2002

Vol. 554 No. 5

Written Answers. - School Accommodation.

Paul McGrath

Ceist:

633 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Science the expenditure by his Department on primary school capital projects and second level school capital projects during each of the past five years; and the expected expenditure under those headings in 2002. [16462/02]

Paul McGrath

Ceist:

634 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Science the total expenditure by his Department on the provision of additional prefabricated classrooms to primary schools in each of the past three years. [16463/02]

Paul McGrath

Ceist:

635 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Science the average cost of providing a prefabricated classroom to any primary school; the typical annual rental charge for this building; and if he will compare these costs to providing a permanent structure at such locations. [16464/02]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 633 to 635, inclusive, together.

Capital expenditure for primary and postprimary schools in each of the past five years was as follows:

1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
£72.4m	£104.9m	£152.7m	£202.8m	£250.2m

The provisional outturn for primary and postprimary school buildings in 2002 is €344.3 million.

Prefabricated accommodation or mobile units are a standard feature of educational provision both in this jurisdiction and internationally, and are mostly used in cases where an urgent need must be addressed at short notice and where permanent accommodation may not be needed in the long-term. In order to ensure value for money, the specifications for prefabricated buildings are formulated in such a ways as to facilitate the relocation of units when they are no longer required at the original school.

The estimated cost of purchasing prefabricated accommodation for primary schools in the current year is about 6.5% of the primary capital allocation of €172.6 million. However, this does not include the cost in a number of instances of providing temporary accommodation, on a short- term basis, if teachers and children are required to vacate a school building to facilitate construction works. Such costs are normally incorporated in the tender price for the permanent building works and are not recorded separately.

The rental cost of prefabricated classroom accommodation at a primary school is influenced by a number of factors, e.g. size of classroom, age of classroom and the location of the school (country or city).

Expenditure on rental of temporary accommodation for primary schools for the past three years is as follows:

1999	£1,852 million (€2,352 million)
2000	£3,152 million (€4,002 million)
2001	£4,756 million (€6,039 million)

I should stress that this provision covers grant-aid to schools for the rental of interim accommodation of all kinds, including prefabs.