€1.5bn spend to prioritise new schools

The Government will today outline plans for dozens of new schools as part of a €1.5bn construction programme.

But a dwindling capital budget and rising birthrates in larger cities and towns mean the bulk of Education Minister Ruairi Quinn’s school building fund up to 2016 will focus on new schools and extensions, rather than upgrades of sub-standard buildings.

The 2012 school building programme announced before Christmas was for a €430m spend, down from €500m last year and almost €580m in 2010.