The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn, T.D., has announced the 50 school projects which are scheduled for construction in 2013.

A €2 billion five-year capital investment programme, launched by Minister Quinn last March, gave details of 275 new major school building projects to begin over the period 2012-2016.

The projects being announced today are part of the five year plan.

Some €370 million will be spent on primary and post-primary infrastructure next year, with a projected expenditure on large scale projects of more than €240 million.

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The major projects scheduled to proceed to construction in 2013 comprise:

22 new schools at primary level

12 extensions at primary level

13 new schools at second-level

3 extensions at second-level

Together with ongoing projects from 2012, this means that a total of 113 major school projects will be on site next year.

In addition, the Minister confirmed that a total of 53 major school projects have now reached substantial completion in 2012.

The 2013 construction plan will deliver over 25,000 permanent school places. Of these, almost 21,000 will be additional places and the remainder will replace temporary or unsatisfactory accommodation.

Announcing details of the building programme Minister Quinn said: "These major school projects are great news for communities the length and breadth of the country.

"Alongside the 25,000 permanent school places that are being built, this significant investment will lead to the creation of some 3,400 direct jobs and 680 indirect jobs. This is a welcome boost not only to the construction industry but to the communities where building will take place."

(CD/GK)