Minister for Education Mary Hanafin today announced plans to provide six new schools under an expansion of the Public Private Partnership Programme (PPP).
Four post-primary schools are to be built in Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick; Athboy, Co Meath; Wicklow town and Kildare town.
In addition, a new primary and post-primary school will share a single campus in Bantry, Co Cork.
The schools announced today will provide accommodation for just under 4,300 pupils.
"The new schools in Bantry will be built on one site while retaining their separate identities and will be designed to deal with issues arising from the sharing of the same campus and some facilities by primary and post-primary students" said Ms Hanafin.
The schools will be procured for the Department of Education and Science by the National Development Finance Agency, which is evaluating submissions from interested bidders.
Today's announcement comes a fortnight after 80 schools were given the go-ahead for new building projects or extensions under the Government's schools modernisation plan.