Longford County Council planners granted permission for the development with 12 conditions attached.

Five sheep were killed and two had to be put down after an incident in the mid-Longford area in recent days.

The plans would see three classrooms and ancillary facilities developed on the site.

The application had been lodged for the transformation of an existing public house on St. Mary's Street in Drumlish, into the mixed use development.

The zone is the most elevated stretch of road in County Longford and during the winter months it can be extremely treacherous.

Longford County Council bought the site and it has been subject to renovation works since 2022.

The works would also consist of the development of a green open space, as well as boundary fences and walls.

This year, County Veterinarian Michael King said numbers, while still high, are slowly returning to pre-pandemic levels.