asked the Minister for Defence when his Department will have the fee simple title to the old married quarters site at Arbour Hill, Dublin 7 transferred to Dublin Corporation.
64.
Written Answers. - Army Quarters.
63.
asked the Minister for Defence when the old married quarters site at Arbour Hill, Dublin 7 will be transferred from his Department to Dublin Corporation.
I propose to take Questions No. 63 and 64 together.
Dublin Corporation was put into possession of the site in question by virtue of a caretaker's agreement executed by the corporation on 14 July 1988.
The State's title to the property is a fee farm grant which is a freehold title comparable to fee simple except that an annual rent is payable. The property is vested in the Minister for Finance and the Office of Public Works has been endeavouring for some time to acquire the fee simple. As it is not possible to say when the process of acquiring the fee simple will be completed, my Department proposed, on the advice of the Chief State Solicitor, to transfer the property to the corporation on the basis of the existing title. The eventual acquisition of the fee simple would, of course, accrue to the benefit of the corporation. The corporation were prepared to accept this proposal prior to the execution of the caretaker's agreement. However, they have now indicated that they do not intend to complete the legal formalities for the transfer of the property until the fee simple interest has been acquired. In view of this indication, I am having the sale of the property to the corporation re-considered in my Department.