Choice Hotels are planning to expand further into the Irish market the company announced yesterday. The chain, which was taken over by Friendly Hotels in May, 1996, is planning to make hotel acquisitions in Galway, Sligo and Waterford within the next few months.

The company is building two hotels in Dublin which will open in May and August of next year. One is being built on Lower Rathmines Road for £7.2 million, while the other is being built on Talbot Street at a cost of £6.5 million.