By Cliona Connolly
Cliona@monaghanpost.com

MINISTER for Education and Science, Batt O Keeffe, visited some of County Monaghan’s schools on Monday of this week.
The first official opening took place at the newly built €2.9m St Tiarnach’s Primary School, Clones where Minister O Keeffe announced 25 major new school building projects across the country including the addition of a two-classroom extension, general purpose room and refurbishment to Corr A Chrainn National School, Emyvale.
Later, Minister O Keeffe opened Clontibret National School’s new €490,000 building which is now home to its 27 pupils. “Today opens an exciting new chapter in the history of Clontibret National School. It’ll enable staff to teach in modern comfortable surroundings, enhancing the school’s amenities for the students who come to learn here,” Minister O Keefe said.
Finally, Minister O Keeffe visited Ballybay Community College to see its €4.6m extension. This extension comprises four new classes, language room, library, guidance office and social area. The Minister highlighted the central role the school had played in the positive changes which have taken place in the educational and cultural life of Ballybay since the Monaghan poet Patrick Kavanagh officially opened the school in 1966. “I wish the students and wider community every success in their newly refurbished and extended school,” Minister O Keeffe commented.
This year, more than €586m will be spent in the school building programme across the country with one-third invested in rapidly developing areas. This means the provision of 12,000 new school places.