Rental bill for prefab classrooms hits €24m

THE Department of Education’s annual bill for renting prefabricated classrooms has increased five-fold from €4 million to more than €24m in just six years, the Comptroller and Auditor General’s report reveals.

The bill has almost doubled between 2003 and 2006, the same period in which the purchase of prefabs fell from €25.8m to €3.5m. About 750 schools, mostly primary schools, were renting prefabs last year, at a cost of €24.5m.

From 2000 to 2006, the department spent €83.5m buying prefabs and other temporary accommodation, and €79.4m on temporary accommodation rents.