The Government is to spend €35 million this year replacing prefabs with permanent classrooms in almost 200 schools. The Department of Education and Skills says the investment, part of the programme for government, will see 6,000 pupils move from prefabs into permanent accommodation.
Some 715 new rental contracts for prefabs for primary schools had been agreed in 2007 alone and the Government was determined to tackle the issue, Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn said. Almost 200 schools, over a third of all those using prefabs, will be offered grants to build permanent accommodation by the end of this year. The department estimates the scheme will bring €5 million in savings on prefab rentals and will create 700 direct jobs.
