The Government has pledged to invest around €2.8 billion over the next six years as part of a new programme in schools throughout Ireland.

Under the new capital investment in schools programme which will run from 2016 to 2021 a total of 310 major school projects will be carried out.

Minister for Education and Skills Jan O'Sullivan said: "The transparent list of projects that we are announcing today will provide 62,000 additional school places over the lifetime of the investment plan. The plan will also eliminate the need for any school to use pre-fabs as a long-term accommodation solution.

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"This investment plan is about looking to the future and ensuring that our school infrastructure is well prepared to accommodate our growing school population. The number of children attending both primary and post-primary schools is continuing to grow and taking a long-term, planned approach now is in the best interests of our future students and their parents."

The capital investment plan includes:

• 310 extension/refurbishment projects in existing schools for the period 2016 – 2021.

• 14 new schools in areas with very strong demographic demand.