Developers may be forced to provide school sites

DEVELOPERS could be forced to provide new schools or suitable sites under Government plans for closer co-operation between local councils and the Department of Education.

The measures are aimed at preventing a repeat of the situation in parts of Dublin where growth in local population left many children without a school place.

Although more than 30 new schools have been fast-tracked to open next month in rapidly developing areas, huge pressure is likely to arise in other communities over the next decade as the Department of Education tries to deal with an estimated 100,000 extra primary school pupils.