Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan-Monaghan Brendan Smith has welcomed the approval for Cavan Monaghan Education and Training Board (CMETB) to proceed to the next stage of the proposal for a new campus at Cavan Institute.

 “I have been closely involved with the Cavan Institute from its early days and I served as the Cathaoirleach of the first Board of Management of the College. I have long advocated for increased accommodation at the existing Institute buildings at Cathedral Road, Cavan.  In the early 2000’s I was particularly glad to have worked with the then Cavan Vocational Education Committee in getting the Cathedral Road Campus built and it was the first dedicated Post Leaving Certificate College in our State.  Today it is great to see the government providing very substantial funding for its further development”, stated Brendan Smith TD.

The project envisages a state-of-the-art further education campus. This proposal is to serve 1,000 students by building a new centralised FET provision for Cavan Institute. The proposed new campus is part of the Government’s Further Education and Training (FET) ‘Colleges of the Future’ strategy, which seeks to streamline FET provision around the country, making pathways into Further Education and Training more accessible for all.

The new college campus will be complementary to and work in collaboration with the existing CMETB FET Campus on the Dublin Road, Cavan, to further strengthen the provision of FET programmes at Levels 5 and 6, as well as delivering on apprenticeships. Other exciting initiatives included in the proposal are higher education programmes in partnership with higher education institutes and part-time programmes.

Speaking today, Deputy Brendan Smith said, “This is a very welcome and significant day for Cavan as we confirm that the Cavan Monaghan Education and Training Board have received approval to move to the next stage of a proposal for a new campus at Cavan Institute.

 “This project will greatly increase the number of students who can attend Cavan Institute and create even more pathways for further education for people across Cavan and the wider region. 

“I’ve always been a strong supporter of further education and giving people more opportunities to attain further qualifications. Fianna Fáil is the Party of education and I will continue to work with colleagues to ensure better education opportunities for people across Cavan and Monaghan.”

ENDS