The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D., today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the County and City Managers’ Association (CCMA) on the acquisition of sites for new schools.

The MoU formalises a partnership between the Department of Education and Skills and local authorities so that the most appropriate sites for new schools are acquired quickly and smoothly in areas which are experiencing a rapid increase in school going pupils.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Quinn said: "By 2017, we will have an extra 70,000 children and young people in the education system. It is a priority of this government that we ensure every child has a physical place at school.

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"It is vitally important that we work with the education partners, but also other stakeholders in the public sector, to ensure our ambitious building programme, which will see the establishment of 40 new schools and the provision of new buildings or major extensions for more than 200 existing schools is implemented.

"This is why we are formalising links with local authorities to acquire the best possible sites for schools."

The Minister for Housing and Planning, Jan O’Sullivan, TD, is supporting this agreement.

Minister O’Sullivan said: "Local Authorities are well placed to identify suitable sites for these new schools. This MoU will build on the existing code of practice for planning authorities which enables the planning process to facilitate the provision of schools in a timely manner and will assist Minister Quinn in ensuring that the delivery of these much needed sites is speeded up.

"I welcome this example of co-operation across the public sector and am confident that together we can ensure that schools are provided in time to meet the rapid growth in demand for school places. The agreement also follows through on the Programme for Government commitment to build strong links between local authority planning and educational provision," Minister O'Sullivan concluded.

(CD/GK)