The Department of Education and Skills has outlined plans to create six new schools across the country, which will be open by the end of 2011.

More than 4,700 students will be accommodated by the new schools, which will be built, financed and maintained by Macquarie Partnerships for Ireland under the Public Private Partnership Programme.

The schools will be situated in Kildare, Limerick, Wicklow and Meath, with two in Cork, and are set to provide students and teachers with modern designs and up-to-date facilities.

Tanaiste and minister for education and skills Mary Coughlan expressed delight with the agreement of the contract, stating that construction on the schools will begin immediately.

She added: "In each location the new school will ensure the students in those centres will be able to access a broad subject range."

This comes after the Tanaiste last week opened the new 2.7 million euro Scoil Eoghan primary school in Moville, which has 220 pupils and 14 members of teaching staff.

Written by Donal Walsh

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