A new survey of school accommodation needs in South Galway has recommended that three new schools be built to accommodate the growing population of the county.

Published on Monday by Minister for Education Mary Hanafin, the report advises that three new schools be constructed in Claregalway, Athenry and Kinvara, as well a number of extensions for schools throughout the county.

The findings are based on 25 submissions submitted by trustees, boards of management, principals, teachers, staff and parent groups as well as others with an interest in educational provision in South Galway and analyses key factors, including demography, house building, local area plans and enrolment trends.

Key points of the plan include recommendations that an extension be built at Calasanctius College in Oranmore so that the school can accommodate 800 students. It was found that a new post-primary facility for Claregalway to accommodate 600 students was likely to be needed by 2016.

Changes are also in line for a number of schools in Athenry. According to the survey, Athenry Vocational School should be refurbished and extended to cater for 800 post primary students in permanent accommodation while Gaelcholáiste an Eachréidh may have to locate to a larger site in the future to facilitate 250 to 300 students.

With the addition of prefabricated units, it is believed that Presentation College in Athenry will have the capacity to educate 720 students for the next five to seven years. In the longer term, it is thought that a new school on a Greenfield site will be need to cater for the expanding population of the busy town. With many new developments for Athenry in the pipeline, it is believed that a further post primary school will also be needed to accommodate 800 students. An extension at Gort Community School is also included in the plans, in order to increase capacity from 800 to 1,000 students.

With the impending closure of Seamount College in 2012, a large co-educational post primary school for 800 students will be needed in the northern environs of Kinvara to cater for families in the surrounding catchment area including North Clare, Ballinderreen and Kilcolgan as well as overflow students from Clarinbridge and Oranmore, according to the report.

The report has received a warm welcome from local schools and representatives, who say they are relieved that the problem of over crowding due to expanding populations in South Galway has finally been recognised.