John Kearney, CEO of CMETB.

Works revised on barrack campus development

The transformation of the former Dun Ui Neill army barracks to a new Cavan Institute campus has suffered a slight setback as a revised schedule of works must be submitted to the Department on the proposed project.
Members of Cavan-Monaghan Education and Training Board (CMETB) were told in early 2018 that the redevelopment of the Dublin Road site was at least two and a half years away, but that now looks set to be pushed out even further. The Department of Education has requested further information on the plans, following a strategic planning meeting on the project. 
“It’s moving, but it’s not moving as quick as I would like,” CMETB CEO John Kearney told The Anglo-Celt.
It’s envisaged that once the Department green-lights the final details and necessary funding, contracts for work will be advertised in EU journals.
The redevelopment of the site would mirror the successful works carried out on the former barracks in Monaghan for third-level and training use. Cavan Institute is currently the third largest further education and training college in the country, and is expanding its training provision with the inclusion of two new electrical apprenticeship courses.
A commis-chef course will also be delivered come January, and new ICT courses are also set to be rolled out.
All courses will be delivered out on the Dublin Road campus. Mr Kearney has previously stated his hope that the new courses would provide a stream of “work ready” graduates capable of meeting the needs of companies looking to take up positions at the soon-to-be-opened Cavan Digital Hub nearby.
“We would hope this would feed into a natural entrepreneurial streak and bring added benefits not just to the local economy but the region as a whole,” he said.