WHITECASTLE'S Scoil
Naomh Fionan has been approved a grant for the
purchase of a new prefab. Senator Cecilia Keaveney
yesterday welcomed the allocation. “I am delighted
that this unit has been sanctioned for Scoil Naomh
Fionan. It serves an important purpose for staff and
student comfort alike. The Department of Education
will be in touch with the school shortly regarding
funding," said the Fianna Fáil senator.
In an earlier press release Sinn Féin Senator Pearse
Doherty described the Government's annual spend on
prefab rental in Donegal as "shocking". He said
upwards of €1.1 million per year was being spent on
the rental of prefabs throughout the county.
“There are 79 rented prefabs being used as
classrooms in Donegal. This of course doesn’t
include those prefabs which have been purchased,"
said Senator Doherty.
"A number of schools are renting prefabs at a cost
in excess of €100,000 per year, while one school, in
particular, is spending in excess of €150,000 in
annual rent. All this amounts to a yearly cost of
around €1.136 million on the rental of prefabs.
“This is a ludicrous situation and is money poured
straight down the drain. It is particularly farcical
given the fact that the Minister for Education and
Science Batt O’Keeffe has yet to spend a significant
portion of his yearly budget for school buildings.
"Why does the Minister refuse to implement a school
buildings programme which would not only see
children being educated in a safe and clean
environment but would also create much-needed
employment in the construction industry," added
Senator Doherty.
Meanwhile, Senator Keaveney said it was important
that the Education Department continued to develop
school facilities.
"I am a strong advocate of the devolved grant scheme
whereby schools can build on rooms where there is an
identified long-term need for permanent
accommodation.
"This option must be investigated within Donegal's
needs and the Minister will continue to be pressed
by me on the provision of devolved monies," she
said. |
