A new primary school is to be built in Ashbourne, County Meath, to help address the lack of education spaces in the local area.

Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh announced the 16-classroom building will open its doors to students in September 2019.

Welcoming the news, Minister for European Affairs Helen McEntee said: "Ashbourne is now the second largest town in County Meath and has a young, growing and vibrant population. This is very welcome news and will be a huge relief to many parents of young children in the Ashbourne area who have expressed their concerns to me about not being able to place their children in a local school for the next academic year.

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"I want to particularly thank the principals of the five current primary schools in Ashbourne who myself and my colleagues have been engaging and working with.

"We have worked together with Minister McHugh and his officials with a common purpose that has helped to secure today's announcement for Ashbourne.

"I am pleased therefore that having looked at all of the evidence and the arguments put forward, that Minister McHugh has approved this new school building."

The new development will be built on the Department owned land adjacent to the existing school campus in Ashbourne.

(CM/MH)