An extra £23 million is to be spent building 14 new schools and carrying out maintenance work on others, which is a major boost to the construction industry.

Stormont Education Minister Caitríona Ruane confirmed £13 million had been received and a further £10 million was given to tackle the maintenance backlog in schools.

Ms Ruane said: "We are able to allocate almost £8.5 million for work to start on 13 new schools and the site acquisition for another. In addition, around £4.5 million will be provided for minor works projects across the schools' estate.

"These schools’ projects range in scale from £1.5million for St Joseph's Primary School, Madden to £17.4million for Bangor Grammar over the next four years. In total, these projects will amount to an investment of over £65million in the schools’ estate over the four-year period and will make a significant and welcome contribution to our economy."

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However, Ms Ruane said some schools would be disappointed but reassured them that she would continue to lobby for more money."

Ms Ruane continued: "This announcement on funding for infrastructure will be particularly welcome in the current economic climate providing a range of construction jobs, including special social clauses for employment of apprentices and the long-term unemployed and contributing towards social and economic development. Maintenance work is usually carried out by smaller local companies and this announcement will help sustain local jobs.

"Since May 2007 we have completed 44 major schools’ projects representing an investment of around £326million in our schools' estate. In addition a further 12 major capital schools' projects are currently on site representing a further investment of over £186million."

(CD/BMcC)