Extension to Monaghan Institute planned

The CMETB board discussed the plans this week.

Plans are underway for a major extension of Monaghan Institute.

This week’s board meeting of CMETB discussed the need for extra accommodation for students, due to the increase in the number of apprenticeships now being offered.

Linda Pinkster, Director of Further Education and Training, sought board approval to begin the process of finding temporary accommodation in the town to house students.

She said the apprenticeships programmes were “outgrowing the space in Monaghan Institute” and temporary accommodation was needed.

She said it would be five years before the plans for an extension to Monaghan Institute, located on the Armagh Road in the town, were approved.

She said the adult education body Solas had asked CMETB to offer another electrical apprenticeship programme in Monaghan Institute to increase the number of students coming through such programmes in a bid to deal with the skills shortage.

Monaghan Councillor Seán Conlon asked if further land adjoining the site would have to be acquired to allow the construction of the extension.

Linda Pinskster said the current plans were looking at extending the current building into the existing car parking space, with a view to then acquiring land to replace the lost parking.

Board members approved moves to secure temporary accommodation in Monaghan town and welcomed the plans to extend the popular education facility.