Updated at 10.50am
THE DEPARTMENT OF Education is set to build 42 new primary and secondary schools over the next four years to ease demand among the public for spaces.
Minister for Education Richard Bruton made the announcement of 26 primary and 16 post-primary school openings this morning.
17 of the schools will be built by September 2019. A further six not included in the above figures will become operational this year, five of them in Dublin.
Of the schools built, 23 will be in the Dublin city or greater county area.
The full list is as follows:
Click here to view a larger image
Click here to view a larger image
“Since 2011, we have created 122,000 new and replacement school places. We are now creating more school places than at any other period in the history of the State,” Bruton said with regard to the announcement, adding that the new schools will “serve to meet education needs over the next four years across the country.
The minister also said that, for the 17 schools due to open by September 2019, a new online patronage system is to be developed, allowing parents to select a preferred patron for each school and also to express a preference as to whether or not each school should operate through Irish or English.
The news was welcomed by the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals.
However it warned that once the schools are built it is vital that resources are in place to ensure that they are equipped and staffed to deliver educational services to the highest standard.
The association’s director Clive Byrne said:
We cannot forget about the needs of existing schools. Many are aged, in need of upgrade or require new facilities to ensure they remain fit for purpose.
Byrne added that the introduction of new subjects, which is underway for both the Junior and Leaving Certificate, also demands new and additional facilities in schools.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say