Hanafin announces €300m plan to build 27 new schools
Minister for Education Mary Hanafin has announced a €300m plan to build 27 new schools using controversial public-private partnerships.
Ms Hanafin said 23 new secondary schools and four new primary schools would be built between 2006 and 2009 as a result of the initiative.
She said the buildings would be constructed in several phases, with the first due to "go to market" in the first half of next year.
The projects include new schools and amalgamations of existing schools in towns and cities throughout the country.
Meanwhile, Ms Hanafin also said she planned to spend €255m on public-private partnerships in the third-level sector over the coming years.
The use of PPPs on five pilot school projects was criticised last year by the Comptroller and Auditor General, who said the schemes were set to cost taxpayers' up to 19% more than if the schools were built through conventional state funding.
