asked the Minister for Defence the number of houses and flats provided by his Department as married quarters for members of the Defence Forces; the amount of the present stock of married quarters built (a) before 1920, (b) from 1920 to 1930, (c) from 1930 to 1940, (d) from 1940 to 1950, (e) from 1950 to 1960 and (f) from 1960 to 1968; the amount of rent charged for each category of dwelling; and the number of Defence Forces personnel who are married differentiating between officers and enlisted ranks.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Army Accommodation.
As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to circulate it in the Official Report. Following is the statement:
Number of houses and flats provided by Department of Defence as married quarters for members of the Permanent Defence Force:—
Officers married quarters — 131
Other ranks married quarters — 1,036
Periods in which existing married quarters were built or acquired:—
Officers |
Other Ranks |
|
(a) before 1920 |
100 |
866 |
(b) from 1920 to 1930 |
6 |
none |
(c) from 1930 to 1940 |
13 |
none |
(d) from 1940 to 1950 |
7 |
none |
(e) from 1950 to 1960 |
1 |
138 |
(f) from 1960 to 1968 |
4 |
32 |
Rates of deduction from pay and allowances of authorised occupants of Married Quarters.
Officers.
Location of Quarters |
Officers of the rank of Commandant and upwards |
Officers below the rank of Commandant |
Eastern Command |
£141 10s. 0d. |
£103 |
(except Aeradróm, Mhic Easmuinn) |
per annum |
per annum |
Aeradróm Mhic Easmuinn |
£129 |
£90 |
per annum |
per annum |
|
Southern Command |
£129 |
£90 |
(except Cork city) |
per annum |
per annum |
Cork city |
£141 10s. 0d. |
£103 |
per annum |
per annum |
|
Western Command |
£141 10s. 0d. |
£90 |
per annum |
per annum |
|
Curragh Training Camp |
£129 |
£77 10s. 0d. |
per annum |
per annum |
Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates.
(a) Quarters erected prior to 1954
Type A House |
5/- per week |
Type B House |
7/6- per week |
Type C House |
10/- per week |
(b) Quarters erected in 1954 and subsequent years
Privates |
23/- per week |
Corporals |
26/- per week |
Sergeants |
30/- per week |
Company Quartermaster-Sergeants |
|
Company Sergeants |
|
Battalion Quartermaster-Sergeants |
35/- per week |
Sergeants Major |
Numbers of officers and other ranks of the Permanent Defence Force who are married:—
Officers |
— |
907 |
Other Ranks |
— |
4,063 |
39.
asked the Minister for Defence if he will state (a) the number of Army barracks, (b) the average number of troops stationed in each barracks and (c) the cost of upkeep of each barracks in each of the following centres: (i) Dublin city, (ii) Cork city, (iii) Limerick city, (iv) Galway city, (v) Curragh Camp and (vi) Athlone.
The number of Army barracks is 34.
I consider that it would not be in the interests of security to furnish information in regard to the average number of troops stationed in each barracks.
Particulars of the cost of upkeep of each barracks in the centres mentioned by the Deputy are not readily available in my Department and I consider that the considerable work involved in ascertaining such particulars would not be warranted. The total net provision in the Estimate for Defence for the current financial year in respect of materials and contract work for the maintenance of all military barracks, camps and posts is £136,000 approximately. In addition, a provision of £505,000 approximately is made in respect of civilian tradesmen, labourers, etc., employed by the Corps of Engineers on works of a maintenance character. There are, however, many other elements of expenditure involved in upkeep costs.
40.
asked the Minister for Defence the number of ex-military personnel whose pensions are being with held because of their continued residence in military quarters; and if he is prepared to make special provisions for the civilian housing of ex-servicemen by (a) providing pensioners' quarters and (b) enabling local authorities to give servicemen stationed in military barracks in their area the status of residents so as to place them on civilian housing lists in the area in which they are stationed prior to retiring from the forces.
The number of former members of the Permanent Defence Force whose service pensions are with-held because of their overholding married quarters is 41.
My Department does not propose to provide quarters for pensioners.
The provision of houses for exmilitary personnel is a matter for the local authorities concerned who are generally co-operative in this regard. Soldiers who are about to be released from the permanent Defence Force are advised by the military authorities to apply to the local authorities concerned for rehousing. Following the making of each such application, my Department requests the local authority to give favourable consideration to each individual case.