Nearly €1 million spent on Laois school prefabs

€500 k spent in each of past two years as more prefabs to be deployed at Portlaoise secondary school

Extensive investment in Laois schools has not eliminated the need to spend a lot of money on prefab classrooms with almost €1 million of public money paid out for temporary buildings in 2022.

Minister for Education Norma Foley revealed in the Dáil that €498,069.89 was spent renting eight primary school prefabs in Laois in 2022. A total of €408,382.04 was spent on them up to the start of December 2023.

Meanwhile, Laois Offaly Education and Training Board CEO Joe Cunningham said that Dunamase College / Coláiste Dhun Masc in Portlaoise is getting new prefabs while it waits for a new school to be built with a capacity for 1,000 pupils.

“Six classrooms have been installed on the Tower Hill courtyard and will come into operation from the start of January. Given the limited options for additional accommodation at the current location to meet the growing demand for places, Dunamase College will have to manage its enrolment until the permanent building for the school is developed at the Timahoe Road,” he told the Leinster Express / Laois Live. More below picture.

Pictured above is the first class of Leaving Certs from Dunamase College who sat their exams in 2023. Pic: Michael Scully

He also confirmed that planning will be lodged in 2024 to build the new school after the Department of Education gave the green light.

In reply to to Labour TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin Minister Foley said there were 455 schools renting prefab accommodation, 323 primary schools and 132 post-primary schools.

"A total of €28m was spent on renting prefabs in 2022. It is expected that there will be similar expenditure in 2023,” she said.

The Kolbe Special School in Portlaoise is among those in Laois that continue to rely on prefabs while teachers, pupils and parents wait for a new home to be built.