Three local schools on prioritisation list
Announcement coincided with the publication of Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth sectors
Three schools in County Monaghan have been included in a major national school building programme, with works due to begin or progress to tender stage within the next two years.
Castleblayney College is set to receive an extension, while Monaghan Community Special School and St. Louis Secondary School will benefit from modular extensions.
There are no Cavan school projects on the list.
The Monaghan projects form part of a nationwide list of 105 school building projects announced by the Department of Education under the National Development Plan recently. Collectively, these projects will deliver more than 27,000 additional and modernised school places and represent an investment of over €1.6 billion between 2026 and 2027.
The announcement coincided with the publication of the Department of Education’s Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth sectors for the period 2026 to 2030 by Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton. The plan outlines a total capital investment of €7.55 billion in schools and youth services over the five-year period and places a strong emphasis on meeting urgent capacity needs, particularly in special education.
Under the plan, almost 300 school projects currently under construction are expected to be completed, most of them in 2026, providing more than 30,000 additional and modernised school places nationwide.
The newly announced tranche of 105 projects also includes large-scale extensions and additional accommodation as well as modular buildings to address urgent enrolment pressures, with expansion of special schools a particular priority.
Minister Naughton said the investment would help deliver a world-class education system and ensure that every child has access to an appropriate school place. She also highlighted the importance of providing certainty for schools by confirming an annual December and January payment timeline for Minor Works and ICT grants, which she said would assist schools with financial planning.
At local level, Monaghan has received more than €104 million in capital funding for schools between 2020 and 2025, during which time 24 schools have been upgraded through new buildings, extensions or modular accommodation. Four school projects are currently under construction in the county, with a further three, including those announced this week, set to move to tender or construction during 2026 and 2027.
Three Monaghan schools are also approved to undergo works this summer under the Summer Works and Climate Action schemes. Since 2020, a total of 32 special classes have been opened in the county, with two more sanctioned for September 2026.
Across neighbouring counties, significant investment has also been made in recent years.
In Cavan, more than €92 million has been invested in school infrastructure since 2020, while Leitrim, Longford and Meath have received €27.8 million, €43.5 million and €459.5 million respectively.