The overall policy goal of my Department is to ensure the highest standard of permanent accommodation for all schools. However, in the context of a rapidly increasing school population and competing pressure on the capital budget available to my Department, it is necessary to make use of temporary accommodation in order to meet the accommodation needs of schools.
My Department's current policy is to offer schools being approved for devolved grant aid for additional accommodation the option to use their capital grant aid to build a permanent classroom(s) rather than purchase a prefab. This policy will reduce the usage of prefabricated accommodation in schools. In addition the new initiative I announced recently will also reduce the number of rented prefabs in use in schools and will result in savings of approx €5m per annum on the rental of prefabs in these schools in the coming years.
My Department will continue to examine ways of reducing the use of prefab accommodation in schools.