Vol. 399 No. 11
16 Mr. Byrne asked the Minister for Defence if he will consider the establishment of a military history museum and archive centre in Collins Barracks, Dublin 8, when it is no longer required for military purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
21 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Defence if, in view of the inclusion of the properties and lands of Collins Barracks, Dublin 7, within the extension of the urban renewal designated areas, he will, in conjunction with the Department of Finance and Dublin Corporation, ensure that the terms of sale include a requirement upon the purchasers to provide for a military museum; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 21 together.
It is intended that Collins Barracks, Dublin, will be offered for sale when the military units located there are relocated. I am advised that the imposition by my Department on the purchaser of the barracks of any conditions regarding the future use of the property would not be legally enforceable.
Will the Minister not agree that this country could do with the benefit of a military museum that is accessible to the general public, that Collins Barracks is perhaps unique in Europe in that it has been continuously occupied for military purposes since it was constructed, that, it is the oldest set of buildings so used and, that a vendor can set pretty much whatever legal conditions on the sale of property he chooses and the legal advice the Minister has quoted is patent nonsense?
The Deputy will appreciate that this is very much a matter between Dublin Corporation as the planning authority and whoever eventually develops the area or segment of the area. I certainly will have it investigated. I am at the moment instructing a firm of surveyors, Lisney and Company, to prepare an overall survey of the area for my own information with no commitments as to what type of development is to take place. I will have the Deputy's suggestion examined in that context.
This property is considerably more valuable now because of designation, which I welcome, but there are parts of the building which, by virtue of their historical and architectural quality, would require in a civilised country to be preserved or conserved. That imposes a commercial constraint on their ultimate use. Perhaps the objectives of conservation and the establishment of a museum could be combined without diminishing the overall value of the large property coming on the market.
Yes, there is a lot of sense in that. Undoubtedly there would have to be a preservation-conservation element in the overall development because of the historic nature of parts of the area. A military museum would perhaps fit into that context. I will have the matter pursued.
Thank you.
There is a further need for consideration of the proposal contained in Deputy Byrne's suggestion about the future of Collins Barracks, in view of the very poor facilities available for the military archives currently at Cathal Brugha. Would the Minister accept that there are legitimate hopes within the Defence Forces that Collins Barracks would be reserved in part for use as a national military museum and archive?
That is in the spirit of Deputy Quinn's question. I will have an investigation carried out on the lines I have indicated to Deputy Quinn and seek to have it incorporated in conservational or preservational addenda to whatever plan is made. We must have an input because of the historic nature of the area concerned. I certainly will take it up in a positive way.
Will the Minister accept that, whatever about the buildings, the name of Collins Barracks should be preserved by transfer to some other barracks or to some new barracks?
We have a Collins Barracks in Cork. In fairness to history, we can never let the name Collins depart from the title of a military barracks.
