Cork South Central Fine Gael Deputy, Jerry Buttimer, has welcomed the announcement that prefabs in three schools will be replaced with permanent classroom accommodation.
“I am pleased that the Minister for Education and Skills has confirmed that three schools in Cork South Central have received approval to replace prefabs with permanent classrooms. Glasheen Boys National School and in Carrigaline both Scoil Mhuire Lourdes and St. John’s Girls National School have received approval.
“Scoil Mhuire Lourdes has been approved for four mainstream classrooms. St. John’s GNS will now be able to build 4 mainstream classrooms and 2 resource/learning support classrooms. Glasheen Boys National School will receive funding for 2 mainstream classrooms and one resource/learning support classroom.
“The approved funding should ensure that permanent classrooms are built in the three schools by the end of 2012. The new classrooms will improve the facilities available for pupils and teachers, ending the long-term reliance on prefabs.
“For too long the temporary accommodation solution of prefabs had been relied on to provide a long term solution for a shortage of classrooms. This initiative by the Minister will end that wasteful use of resources delivering classrooms that meet the current needs of pupils, schools and teachers.
“The Minister has approved 78 schools across the country to go ahead with the replacement of prefabs with permanent classrooms, allowing them to begin this work to ensure it is completed during 2012. In total this announcement amounts to an investment of €14 million for prefab replacement in these schools.
“In early March the Minister announced a €35 million initiative to reduce the use of prefabs in primary schools. 189 schools were invited to participate in the programme, in addition to the 78 schools which have today received approval another 110 are in on-going discussions with the Department.”
ENDS