Minister for Education Mary Hanafin has given approval for the establishment of 22 new primary schools, which will open this September.
The schools include 12 multi-denominational primary schools, five Catholic primary schools, one inter-denominational and four special schools.
Many of the new schools are situated in the wider Dublin commuter area, as well as commuter towns close to the cities of Cork and Galway.
The minister has already given approval to three new primary schools in the Dublin area, also due to open this September, which will be operated by the VEC.
