The Minister for Education has announced that construction is to begin on five new school buildings in the middle of next year.

Tyndall College Campus in Carlow will provide accommodation for over 2,000 post primary and further education students.

Loreto College, Wexford will be a replacement post primary school, providing 900 pupil places.

In Bray, Co Wicklow, Colaiste Raithín will be a replacement post primary school catering for 450 students. On the same site, St Philomena's national school will be a replacement 24 classroom building.

And Eureka Secondary School, Kells, Co Meath will be a replacement Post Primary School with 800 student places.

The Inspired Spaces Consortium has been selected as the preferred tenderer for the five new schools, under the Department of Education's Public Private Partnership programme.

Education Minister Jan O'Sullivan says the project will provide over 4,800 new school places at the four sites: "It is anticipated that the new school buildings will open on a rolling basis during the second half of 2017".