In April 2018 the planned establishment of 42 new schools (26 primary & 16 post primary), over the 4 years from 2019 to 2020. This announcement followed a nationwide demographic
exercises carried out by my Department into the current and future need for primary and post-primary school places across the country. Since this announcement officials in my Department have carried out extensive site identification and assessment exercises for each of the 42 new schools with a focus on maximising lands already in State ownership.
As requested by the Deputy, the following is the current status of permanent sites for 42 new schools:
14 schools have new sites acquired (7 primary & 7 post primary);
5 agreements in principle for new sites have benn reached (3 primary & 2 post primary);
2 agreements in principle with Local Authority executive, subject to approval by Elected Members (2 primary);
10 schools are being accommodated on lands or buildings in the control of the Minister (8 primary & 2 post primary);
11 school sites are at various stages of assessment and negotiation (6 primary & 5 post primary);
I can assure the Deputy that my Department is working to progress site acquisitions as quickly as possible.