Four Westmeath schools have spent over €100,000 each renting prefab units, and a further five schools over €50,000 each, according to information obtained from the Department of Education this week.
Fine Gael’s Deputy James Bannon has described the figures as “an insult to children, parents, and teachers in these schools who are crying out for new school buildings”.
“Spending any amount of money on prefabs is ridiculous as it is ‘dead money’. That as much as €100,000 would go on renting prefab units can only be considered a farce. Yet, the Department of Education did just that in four County Westmeath schools,” said Deputy Bannon.
The Westmeath schools which have paid out rent of over €100,000 Curraghmore NS, Gaelscoil Choillin, St Clare’s NS, and St Joseph’s NS. Meanwhile Coosan NS, Cornamaddy NS, Scoil an Chlochair, St Colman’s, and St Tolas NS have each paid €50,000.
“This waste of scarce taxpayers’ cash is not isolated to these Westmeath schools; in total, 210 schools across the country have rental costs for prefabs of over €100,000, and 184 schools have rental costs of over €50,000. This accounts for €30 million of the €50 million spent renting prefabs every year,” added Deputy Bannon.
“Meanwhile Batt O'Keeffe refuses to take action and has pinned all his hopes on a new group of consultants who have just won a lucrative contract to tell him what to do.”
According to Deputy Bannon, action is urgently needed to address the cost of prefabs. “What is needed is action not more consultation. Rents are falling in Westmeath and the Minister and his Department should intervene directly and negotiate face to face with the suppliers of temporary accommodation on behalf of schools and immediately set price controls on the maximum yearly rental of prefabs for Westmeath schools.
“By reducing the average cost of renting prefabs, more money can be found to keep teachers in place in Westmeath as against sacking them from September this year.”
