Prefabs Sprout: short-termism for short people

[He3]

Does the government have money to burn on rent? Prefabs cost the earth. They displace proper buildings. Our children only go through school once. 40000 of them spend their schooldays in prefabs. 19th century national schools were more suitable than the structures provided for the education of these children of the 21st century.

This is short-termism of a particularly silly kind. Prefabs are a way of not facing up to the responsibity of housing our schoolgoing population decently.


More than €112m spent on school prefabs since 2006

PATRICK LOGUE
More than €50 million was spent by the Government on temporary prefabricated buildings for schools last year, the Minister for Education has revealed.

A total of €112,860,000 has been spent on school prefabs over 2006, 2007 and 2008, according to Minister Batt O’Keeffe.

In a written answer to a parliamentary question by Fine Gael’s Brian Hayes, Mr O’Keeffe reveals that €24.5 million was spent on prefabs in 2006, €35.5 million in 2007 and :€52.86 million last year.


More than €112m spent on school prefabs since 2006 - The Irish Times - Mon, Mar 02, 2009

<Mod> This thread has been merged with "School prefabs to cost €48m this year". </Mod>

[He3]

Over €50m was spent on renting school prefabs last year - O'Keeffe

How much capital borrowing could be serviced with annual payments of €50 million?

How many schools could we build for that capital sum?

When would we have paid back the loan?

Can anyone do the sums?

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...242151700.html

[islands]

The hire of prefabs seems way out of proportion to their cost. Is that because they are difficult to move (so lessors need toget their money back on the first hiring), or are they way overpriced because they're leasing to individual boards of management with no economies of scale negotiated by the dept of education?

[Seos]

Now I'm not crediting them with them actually planning something properly but:
School building project prices are now 20% less - The Irish Times - Wed, Nov 05, 2008

So it should end up cheaper. If someone was planning then not building much and renting prefabs instead in 2004-2008 would be a good idea. So if they increased the budget for school building while the recession goes on then they are good planners. It might be forgivable for them having cut it by €5 million this year given our exceptional budget circumstances if they increase it again next year and the year after.

If as seems unfortunately likely they maintain or only slightly change it during this recession then they will have wasted a great opportunity to save themselves money.


Anyway my main point is that far from being short termist up until now they have done the right thing. It's quite likely that was by accident but we'll see from what they do in the coming years.

[He3]

Over €50m was spent on renting school prefabs last year - O'Keeffe

How much capital borrowing could be serviced with annual payments of €50 million?

How many schools could we build for that capital sum?

When would we have paid back the loan?

Can anyone do the sums?

No takers?

Where are Joan Bruton or Richard Burton when they're needed?

[Seos]

a budget of €581 million this year will get us:

"Mr O'Keeffe said the allocation for 2009 will allow the department to complete 26 major projects and begin another 62 major projects. 100 smaller projects will be completed. Another 80 projects will progress to completion, with funding also going to annual minor works grants, site purchases and emergency works"

so €50 mil would pay to complete 2.24 major projects, begin another 5.34 major projects. Begin 8.61 smaller projects and complete 6.88 smaller projects and fund 8.6% of ongoing annual minor works grants, site purchases and emergency works.
Important: At this year's prices

So that sort of answers the how many schools question.

The borrowing question is difficult the longer the loan the more we could borrow with annual payments of €50million. So theoretically anywhere between 1 and infinity.

[He3]

It doesn't answer the question, unfortunately. It is impossible to separate out the cost of a single project as the answer is a mish mash - complete this, start that, do a bit here and there.

Which seems strangely familiar.

[Edo]

anybody know who are main prefab suppliers in the state and how much they have donated to FF over the years?

Its a legitimate question - When doing my degree in Material managment by night a few years ago - there were a couple of guys from Tallaght Hospital doing the course with us - The stories of waste,cosy deals with suppliers and the lax way of doing business would make your eyes water - if you carried on like that in private sector procurement and purchasing - you'd be fired and sued for incompetence and negilence in the blink of an eye.

[Seos]

It doesn't answer the question, unfortunately. It is impossible to separate out the cost of a single project as the answer is a mish mash - complete this, start that, do a bit here and there.

Which seems strangely familiar.

Then no, none of your questions can be answered as each project costs a different amount.

[He3]

That is ducking the issue.


Over €50m was spent on renting school prefabs last year - O'Keeffe

How much capital borrowing could be serviced with annual payments of €50 million?

How many schools could we build for that capital sum?

Anyone have a rough idea?