€466M capital investment for 141 Monaghan projects outlined

Peter Hughes

Housing will be the primary focus of Monaghan County Council’s Capital Programme for 2026-2028, with €466M to be invested over the next three years in 141 projects.

Chief Executive Robert Burns gave the update when speaking at last Monday’s meeting of the local authority.

He said that housing would form the most significant part of the proposed investment plan- almost half- reflecting both the local and national priority for newly built homes.

The housing component of the programme would though not just be about “bricks and mortar”, he added. It will also encompass support for childcare and the development of community facilities.

Housing

Mr Burns said the programme was strongly focused on delivery, with some €305M worth of projects currently at planning and design stage; €59M of schemes at tender stage; and projects to the value of €102M already under development. When one combines the capital investment with the council’s revenue budget of €97.6M, it amounts to a €0.25Bn investment in the county per year by the authority, Government departments and cross-border entities.

“The programme is a strategic framework but with a focused intent,” the Chief Executive explained. “There is no point having a plan and not following through.”

Mr Burns also stated they would see balanced development across the county coming over the course of the three-year period.

In a presentation to the meeting, Alan Hall, Senior Engineer for Capital Projects, outlined some of the projects delivered in the past year. These included the Newbliss Enterprise and Digital Hub, significant recreational enhancement works at Dartrey Forest Park and the extension of the playground facilities in Monaghan Town’s Rossmore Park, as well as recreational enhancement initiatives at the Black Island in Castleblayney’s Lough Muckno estate.

Lorcan Mac Cinna of the Housing section said that targets set by the Department of Housing for Monaghan had been relatively low, and they tended to a least double them or more each year.

In 2025, 113 housing units had been delivered, and the projection for 2026 is between 95-100 units, well ahead of the Department target, The council was meanwhile hoping to add even more projects to this as the year progressed.

Mr Mac Cinna said 2025 had seen the completion of the council’s first cost rental project, which delivered 16 apartments in Monaghan Town. The local authority's second affordable housing scheme was partially completed in Carrickmacross, and awaiting final Department funding approval- anticipated in the first quarter of 2026.

He outlined housing developments will be completed this year in Ballinode, Latlorcan and Macartan View in Monaghan Town, Carrickmacross, Conabury in Castleblayney, and at Maple Grove in Smithborough, which was an unfinished housing development lying idle for 20 years.

Roads

Acting Senior Roads Engineer Kevin West said 2026 would see the implementation of the council’s new road maintenance strategy. The major road improvement scheme on the N2 from Clontibret to the border was now at phase three, following strong community engagement and a resultant design update.

This project was listed in the National Development Plan to commence construction procurement by 2029, with construction programmed to commence by 2030.

Mr West said the council is hopeful of funding in 2026 to recommence the project to upgrade the N2 from Ardee to Castleblayney.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland is also looking at accelerating infrastructure guidelines to see if it can streamline its processes, and the council is optimistic it could accelerate the Ardee-Castleblayney project to catch up in development terms with the Clontibret to the border scheme.

Enhancement

The meeting was also told significant progress is expected in 2026 on the provision of a swimming pool and leisure centre in Carrickmacross, and the regeneration of the Market Square area of Castleblayney.

Various town centre renewal developments are set to take place as wel in Carrickmacross, with €500,000 in Town and Village Renewal Scheme funding secured just before Christmas for streetscape and amenity enhancement on Main Street.

The year ahead will see the further advancement of both the “north” and “south” elements of the major regeneration project planned for the Dublin Street area of Monaghan Town, and it was envisaged that the €4.7M Blackwater Valley Regional Enterprise and Digital Hub in rural North Monaghan would be completed by the end of the year.

There have already been 14 expressions of interest in the industrial sites being developed at Annahagh on the outskirts of Monaghan Town.

Work is currently taking place on the preliminary design of the roads, services and other advance facilities required at the site, and detailed design will be starting as soon as the planning permission process is completed.