Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 December 2023
269. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education how many schools currently utilise temporary prefab accommodation for classrooms; how much was spent on leasing or rental of such buildings in 2022; how much is budgeted for them for 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53894/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraTemporary prefab accommodation in schools may be rented or purchased and funded by the Department or by the school authority itself, with or without Department sanction. For that reason it is not possible to provide the Deputy with a complete picture in respect of all temporary prefab accommodation at schools as requested.
As the Deputy will appreciate, within the context of a rapidly increasing school population combined with arriving Ukrainian children, my Department's priority is to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place. In this regard, it is sometimes necessary to make use of temporary accommodation in order to meet the accommodation needs of schools.
The timing and duration of the accommodation need is also considered in determining the optimum accommodation solution – a short-term accommodation requirement does not require a long-term accommodation solution. 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.
My Department is taking an integrated approach with the Prefab Replacement Programme through the replacement of prefabricated units as part of large-scale and devolved projects and as part of new projects approved under the Additional School Accommodation scheme.
There are over 1,300 school building projects within the current pipeline across the various stages of planning, design, tender and construction. The progression and completion of these projects is and will make further inroads on the replacement of rented sites and buildings with knock-on savings on the rental budget. The current status of projects being delivered is listed in tabular format, on a county by county basis, on the Department’s website at www.gov.ie and is updated regularly.
Many schools based in rented buildings and on rented sites are already part of the pipeline of projects under the school building programme and their longer-term 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 including that of arriving Ukrainian children means that accommodation requirements can vary locally and 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.
Currently there are 455 schools renting prefab accommodation, 323 primary schools and 132 post primary schools. A total of €28m was spent on renting prefabs in 2022. It is expected that there will be similar expenditure in 2023.
