The Minister for Education and Science, Batt O'Keeffe, TD, has announced details of an alternative way of reducing the number of prefabs in our schools.

Under this approach, schools that have applied for grant aid to purchase prefabs will be offered the opportunity to use the same amount of money to build permanent buildings.

Announcing details of this approach, Minister O'Keeffe said "while modern prefabricated accommodation is of a high standard and provides a solution to a temporary need for accommodation for schools, I recognise that many schools have a strong preference for permanent solutions. With this in mind, I am allowing those schools with an urgent and pressing need for additional accommodation and who are being given approval for grant-aid to avail of the option of using their grants to purchase prefabs or to construct permanent classrooms for the same amount."

"With over 2000 extra primary teachers appointed in our schools since last Summer, the demand for new school accommodation remains high."

"It will continue to be necessary for prefabricated accommodation to be provided because competing priorities mean that it will not always be possible to have a permanent accommodation solution in place in a short time-frame. My Department will continue to provide funding for such prefabricated accommodation and the decision on whether to rent or purchase will depend on the likely length of time it will be required. In all cases, the approach will be to ensure best value for money." The Minister stressed that the permanent classrooms should be of a high standard and should comply with all statutory requirements for such accommodation.

Officials in the Planning and Building Unit in the Department of Education and Science will be in contact with those schools where the scheme is relevant to their circumstances regarding the detail of its implementation.

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