Seen here closing in March, the barracks was bought for around €1.3 million by the Department of Education. The sale was announced today, Monday, September 24.

Paul Neilan

Cavan VEC has purchased Dún Uí Neill Barracks in Cavan Town. Sources close to the deal, say the recently-closed barracks went for around €1.25 million.

The VEC will take over the 16-acre barracks site, developing a state-of-the-art education and training campus.

The announcement came at the monthly meeting of Cavan VEC and has been in the pipeline since the barracks' March closure.

Speaking prior to the sale going through, Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn told this paper that he was "hugely supportive" of the sale.

"I have met on a number of occasions with the CEO of the VEC and the director of the institute there, and I have been amazed at what already goes on there. It is the biggest institute outside of a major urban location."

The purchase goes ahead despite the recently announced merging of Cavan and Monaghan VECs, which sees their headquarters relocated to neighbouring Monaghan.

Cavan Deputy Joe O'Reilly expressed his delight at the sale, which was a Cavan VEC-lead initiative: "It is a huge expression of confidence by Minister Quinn in the CEO of Cavan VEC, Mr Colm McEvoy, Chairperson of Cavan VEC, Councillor Madeleine Argue, and the Executive Members of Cavan VEC.

"Through the excellence of the services they run and their tenacious lobbying, they have proven their worth.'

"The fact that the facility will now be used by Cavan Institute for further education and training initiatives is particularly good news," he said.

"The people of County Cavan will be very happy to know that this historic facility remains in the ownership of the State and will continue to serve the needs of our citizens," he said.

Welcoming the announcement, Minister for Defence Alan Shatter said the local community would benefit as a whole from the sale.

"The VEC envisages that many elements of the present property will come into use in the coming weeks,'' he added.