RISING COST OF NEW MONAGHAN CIVIC OFFICES PROJECT GENERATES CO COUNCIL TENSIONS

The market will provide the ultimate determination on whether the plan to build new local authority civic offices in Monaghan Town is financially viable. That was the outcome of a vote taken at Monday’s meeting of Monaghan Co Council which sanctioned the project proceeding to the preparation of a “Part 8” planning submission and entering a tender process. This course of action was approved of in a roll-call vote by 14 of the 18 elected members after a discussion in which tensions arose around the escalating cost of the office development, which is earmarked for a site in Rooskey in the centre of Monaghan Town.

Independent councillors Seamus Treanor and Paudge Connolly, who oppose the project, were joined in voting against the proposal before Monday’s meeting by Fianna Fáil representatives P J O’Hanlon and Aoife McCooey. Councillor O’Hanlon said he had supported the building of the offices “from day one” but figures presented to a recent in committee meeting of the Council about the increased costs of the project and an…