Plans to build up to 52 schools in Northern Ireland have been abandoned.

The beleaguered construction sector has been disappointed after the Stormont Sinn Fein Minister for Education, John O'Dowd said plans for new schools will be shelved - but at the same time refused to say which ones.

He said under-enrolment and the 85,000 'effective empty desks' meant the current situation was not viable.

At present there are proposals to rebuild 52 schools at a cost of some £500m, while there are an additional 100 planned capital projects costing several million pounds.

After his budget was cut by nearly £700m, the minister said plans to build schools would be tested against new criteria around enrolment figures and the standard of education on offer.

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A capital budget of £1.165bn for the next four years had been expected but instead only £509m will be allocated. The shortfall is £656 million, which is close to the sum required to cover the capital projects.

There are currently 1200 schools in Northern Ireland however, under Mr O'Dowd's plans this could be reduced to 800.

Chairman of the Education Committee the DUP's Mervyn Storey said: "I have a concern the budget process is now going to be used as a means of insuring that instead of having 1200 schools we have 800 schools. It will result in teachers losing their jobs".

Meanwhile North Antrim MLA, and Sinn Fein Education Spokesperson, Daithí McKay has welcomed the Education Minister's statement on the future of the education system.

Mr McKay said that the way forward outlined by John O'Dowd is about effective modernisation and meeting the needs of the child, not the institution.

However, the Education Minister will face tough questions about his controversial education reforms at Stormont today after his officials said initial key strategic decisions are due to be made by the Minister by June next year.

See: Education Minister Threatens School Closures

(LB/BMcC)