Clare Fine Gael Senator Tony Mulcahy has welcomed the decision by Minister for Education & Skills, Ruairí Quinn, T.D., to offer grants to eight Clare primary schools to build permanent accommodation this year.
The announcement forms part of the most expansive initiative ever undertaken to replace rented prefabs in schools. Nationally, the 2012 allocation of €35 million will be used to replace prefabs that are used to provide resource rooms and classroom accommodation for an estimated 6,000 pupils in 200 schools.
Senator Mulcahy said approximately a third of Clare schools currently renting prefabs have been included in the 2012 allocation. The schools include Parteen NS, Kilrush Convent Primary School, St. Mochulla's NS in Tulla, St. Conaire's NS in Shannon, Kildysart NS, St John's NS in Cratloe, Scoil Mhainchin in Ennistymon and Inch NS.
“The approval of grant aid is very positive news for the Clare schools concerned as some had believed that the current economic downturn would have led to a subsequent decrease in Government spending in this area. The Department’s School Building Unit will be writing to the eight schools in the coming days offering grant aid for replacement of each of the rented prefabs on their sites subject to the school meeting certain criteria”, stated Senator Mulcahy.
He noted that the announcement represents a significant move away from the policies of the previous Government in relation to the issue of schools accommodation.
Senator Mulcahy continued: “At the height of the economic boom the previous Government had a policy of renting prefabs in schools. 715 new rental contracts were agreed for primary schools in 2007 alone. The result of this policy is that we have a legacy of rented prefabs in schools around the country.”
“The Programme for Government contains a commitment to reduce the reliance on rented prefabs in schools. The new initiative, which forms part of the Government’s €430 million education infrastructure plan for 2012, will result in savings of approximately €5m per annum on the rental of prefabs in these schools in the coming years and will result in the creation of an estimated 700 direct and 140 indirect jobs. This new initiative also is in addition to the five-year building programme, which will be announced in the coming weeks,” the Shannon Senator concluded.
