Minister Browne Visits Monaghan to Highlight Housing Delivery and Officially Open Ballybay Fire Station
Monaghan County Council today welcomed the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD, to County Monaghan. Minister Browne viewed a number of key housing developments in Monaghan Town and Carrickmacross and officially opened the new purpose-built Ballybay Fire Station, marking significant progress in the delivery of homes and community infrastructure across the county.
Monaghan County Council continues to deliver homes at pace and is exceeding national social housing targets. Between 2022 and 2025, the Council delivered 431 new social and affordable homes, achieving 144% of its allocated delivery target under national housing programmes.
As part of today’s visit, the Minister toured several major housing developments currently underway or recently completed:
At Slí na Coille, Monaghan Town, the Minister viewed 21 newly completed social homes which are now ready for occupation. These energy-efficient dwellings form part of the Council’s ongoing programme to provide modern homes in established and well-connected neighbourhoods.
The Minister also visited Slí Lorcáin, one of the largest housing developments under construction in the county. Phase 1 of the development, comprising 22 homes, is complete and ready for occupation, while Phase 2, consisting of a further 29 homes, is progressing on schedule with delivery targeted for the third quarter of 2026. When completed, Slí Lorcáin will provide 51 much-needed homes in Monaghan Town.
In Carrickmacross, the Minister visited Sean Ghardíní, the town’s first Affordable Purchase Scheme and the county’s second overall. The development includes 10 new affordable homes aimed at supporting eligible first-time buyers. Demand for the scheme has been strong, with 39 applications received to date and allocations expected to progress shortly.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Robert Burns, Chief Executive of Monaghan County Council, said:
“Today’s visit highlights the real and tangible progress being made in housing delivery across County Monaghan. From building homes on Council lands, to turnkey developments and providing affordable homes to buy or to rent, we are committed to ensuring that individuals and families have access to modern, energy-efficient homes in vibrant communities. The projects visited today demonstrate what can be achieved through strong collaboration and sustained investment.”
He added:
“From large-scale social housing developments to innovative affordable purchase schemes, our teams are working relentlessly to ensure that County Monaghan plays its part in meeting local housing need and addressing the national housing challenge. The developments visited today demonstrate our ability to deliver quality homes, on schedule, and in line with national policy.”
Cathaoirleach of Monaghan County Council, Cllr PJ O’Hanlon, said:
“Housing remains one of the most important issues for our county, and it is encouraging to see these developments advancing at pace. The completion of homes in Monaghan Town and the new affordable purchase options in Carrickmacross will make a meaningful difference to people’s lives. We look forward to welcoming new residents into these communities in the months ahead.”
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD, said:
“The focus of our Housing Action Plan, ‘Delivering Homes, Building Communities’, is to speed up the delivery of new homes to provide families and individuals with long-term, secure and affordable housing options.
“To achieve this I want to back ambitious councils and ambitious councillors in getting what needs to be done across the line.
“Monaghan County Council is delivering supports for home ownership and housing options through a range of schemes to meet the needs of the people in this community, as I have seen through the high-quality developments here today.
“I know more needs to be done, so it is encouraging that there is also a strong pipeline of new homes of different tenure types here in Monaghan.
“But we are building communities, not just homes, so the right infrastructure and local facilities are essential to complement new housing.
Official Opening of Ballybay Fire Station
As part of the visit, Minister Browne officially opened the new Ballybay Fire Station, representing a major investment in public safety and emergency response for Ballybay and the wider County Monaghan area.
The new purpose-built facility provides modern operational and training amenities for Ballybay Fire Brigade and significantly enhances the capacity of Monaghan Fire & Civil Protection to respond to emergencies across the region.
Ballybay Fire Station is crewed by 12 retained firefighters and forms part of Monaghan Fire & Civil Protection’s five-station network, which comprises 63 firefighters across the county. Located at the geographical centre of County Monaghan, the station plays a critical role in providing fire cover across a large rural station ground with dispersed communities, agricultural risk profiles and extended travel distances.
The station includes an appliance bay capable of accommodating two fire service vehicles, a station office and watch room, breathing apparatus maintenance room, PPE cleaning room, compressor room, kitchen facilities, lecture and training room, shower and toilet facilities, extensive storage areas and an external drill yard with drill tower, along with car parking facilities.
Opening the new fire station for Ballybay, Minister James Browne said:
“The new fire station officially opened here in Ballybay today is an excellent example of expanding the infrastructure needs and capacity of Monaghan Fire and Civil Protection services.
“This purpose built, state-of-the-art fire station, achieved through my Department’s Fire Services Capital Programme will allow for the continued support of the vital work of the fire station across the large rural area.”
Speaking at the opening, Cathaoirleach of Monaghan County Council, Cllr PJ O’Hanlon, described the occasion as “a very proud day for the people of Ballybay”, acknowledging the dedication of local firefighters and the vital role the Fire Service plays in responding to emergencies and severe weather events across the county.
Chief Executive Robert Burns paid tribute to all those involved in the delivery of the project, including staff of Monaghan Fire & Building Control, Van Dijk Architects, engineers, surveyors and contractors PJ Treacy. He also commended the firefighters of Ballybay for their continued dedication in providing an essential public service.
Chief Fire Officer Dermot Brannigan highlighted the strategic importance of Ballybay Fire Station in strengthening the operational capacity of Monaghan Fire & Civil Protection and supporting the Government’s Keeping Communities Safe policy. He acknowledged the funding support provided through the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management and thanked the elected members for their continued support.
Station Officer Niall Quinn welcomed attendees on behalf of Ballybay Fire Brigade, describing the new station as a significant transformation that will serve the community for generations to come.
The delivery of new homes and the opening of Ballybay Fire Station together reflect Monaghan County Council’s continued commitment to building strong, resilient and well-served communities across County Monaghan.